


Hidden Under Darkness

by maddyandsnoopy



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Warrior!Belle, season 1 AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-28
Updated: 2013-04-25
Packaged: 2017-11-22 17:31:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 35,902
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/612395
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maddyandsnoopy/pseuds/maddyandsnoopy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rumplestiltskin finds out that Regina lied and Belle is really alive. Once he frees her from Regina, Belle makes a new deal with him in order to live her own life and makes some dangerous friends along the way. AU in FTL and Storybrooke. ABANDONED</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Queen Regina smirked at the girl staring at her through the cell bars. “He’s not coming for you, my dear,” Regina said, stepping closer to the bars in order to get a better look at her.

“He might not be right now,” Belle said calmly, her eyes flashing, “but once he finds out you have me prisoner, he’ll be here.” Regina smiled at the foolishness Belle’s bravery had turned into.

“You never get tired of saying that, do you?” Regina said. Belle smiled and shook her head, looking away from Regina. “I hate to destroy your hope, but he’s not going to be looking for a dead girl.”

Belle’s eyes snapped back to Regina’s. “You wouldn’t dare.” She trembled under the dress hanging from her bones.

Regina laughed. “No, you’re right, I wouldn’t kill you. I don’t want to lose the advantage I have over dear old Rumple with you here. I would tell him you killed yourself out of heartbreak, though. In fact, I already have.”

“No,” Belle murmured, bringing one hand to her forearm and pressing her nails hard enough to draw blood. “No.”

“He seemed to take it in stride,” Regina continued, her eyes sparkling. “But then again, Rumple was never one to wear his heart on his sleeve. Though,” she paused thoughtfully, “that was the quietest I’ve ever seen him.” Belle stared at her in horror and Regina laughed. “Good luck with your rescue mission now.” She smirked at Belle once more before stalking out of the dungeon, leaving the girl to her misery. 

Belle didn’t look away from the spot Regina’s eyes had been before; she didn’t even move aside from digging her nails into her arm over and over again.

“You should stop that,” a soft voice said from the shadows. “You have enough scars as it is.”

She looked at the tall, bearded man who walked slowly to stand in front of her cage, hands on the bars, then at the insides of her arms, covered in half-moon scars, some faded and some dribbling blood, and closed her eyes. “These are nothing compared to what’s inside.”

The Huntsman sighed. “Don’t give up hope, Belle. You still have a chance—she’s broken your heart, but she hasn’t taken it yet. That’s more than I have.”

She smiled at him. “Thank you.” She leaned over and put her hand over his. He squeezed her fingers in response.

“He’ll find out about you somehow. I know he will.”

\---

“My lord… Look outside,” the knight said, blanching as he stared out the window.

King Maurice, a stately man standing a massive table laden with maps and war plans, turned and looked out the windows, which were completely black. “It’s midday,” he said, turning to stare at his knights.

“That’s right, dearie. But darkness will be the last thing you’ll ever see,” a sinister voice said from the doorway. Maurice turned in surprise and saw Rumplestiltskin standing in the doorway, eyes almost completely black and fists clenched.

Maurice’s face twisted in hatred and disgust. “You. What do you want? Was my daughter not enough?”

Rumplestiltskin laughed, but it wasn’t his normal giggle that gave grown men chills. This laugh was cold and empty. “You do not have the right to talk about her. You are the reason she is gone.” He gestured with his arm, causing Maurice to fly across the room and press against the wall and the knights to disappear. Inhumanly fast, he was across the room and was pressing a knife to Maurice’s neck. “She is dead because of you.”

Maurice stared at him in horror. “Belle is dead?”

Rumplestiltskin’s eyes narrowed, and Maurice fancied that pain was in his voice. “As if you don’t know. You’re the one who locked her up after I released her until she killed herself.”

“You released her?” Maurice’s expression was one of pure shock, shock that even the most accomplished actor could never hope to imitate, and Rumplestiltskin drew the knife away.

“When was the last time you saw your daughter?” he hissed, his eyes dark as night.

“When she left with you,” Maurice said. Rumplestiltskin stepped away as Maurice fell to the ground as magic released him. He looked at the imp desperately. “Is my daughter dead?”

“It appears I was misinformed.” Maurice had never heard fear in Rumplestiltskin’s voice and was sure he never would, but for a moment, he thought that it was there.

“Where is she? Is she safe?” he asked, terror filling him at the thought of what could happen to Belle that would scare even the Dark One.

“Oh, where I think she is, I doubt she’s safe. No matter though. She will be soon,” he growled before disappearing. 

Maurice’s eyes began to water as light filled the room again.

\---

“It’s been a week since I told her he thought she was dead. Why is she still so cheerful?” Regina hissed at the Huntsman, who was standing next to her throne. He stayed quiet, not telling her that Belle was only cheerful while Regina was in the room and once she left, the girl would stare at nothing, hugging her knees to her chest and creating more scars on her arms. He had to beg her to eat, but she was still losing even more weight, which he wouldn’t have thought possible after what torture and imprisonment had done to her even before she knew she was thought dead. “The silly girl,” Regina muttered to herself, turning her attention to the report waiting in her lap.

The Huntsman stood next the queen, still as only a woodsman could be, hoping to avoid her notice. An hour passed, and just after the queen’s afternoon tea was brought, he heard shouting. Regina absentmindedly motioned for him to draw his sword, and he stepped in front of her just as her chamber’s doors flew open and Rumplestiltskin walked through them. 

“Step aside, dearie,” he growled at the Huntsman. “I wish to speak to our beloved queen.” The scorn in his voice surprised the Huntsman, who glanced back at Regina for her orders. She sighed and gestured for him to do as Rumplestiltskin said. He retreated against the wall, not wanted to be near the monster under any circumstances, but especially not when there was such hatred displayed his face.

“What a pleasant surprise. You don’t typically force me to come to your Dark Castle if I want to see you,” Regina said, smiling. “What do I owe this honor to?”

“I believe you have something of mine,” Rumplestiltskin said.

The queen’s smile faltered for only a second. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Really now?” Hatred colored his voice. “Because I paid King Maurice a little visit earlier today and it appears he hasn’t seen his daughter since she left their village.”

“Is that so?” Regina said, paling slightly but managing to appear disinterested. “I suppose my sources were mistaken. I apologize.”

His eyes narrowed. “Where is she?”

“I haven’t the slightest idea.”

Rumplestiltskin bared his teeth like a wolf and the castle began to shiver. “Bring her to me now, or I will not hesitate to rip this palace apart stone by bloody stone until I find her myself.”

Regina narrowed her eyes. “What is your greatness weakness? Besides the girl, of course.”

Some dust fell from the ceiling as the palace shivered under Rumplestiltskin’s rage, who was glowering at the queen. “Don’t try to change the topic, Regina.”

She laughed. “I’m not. I’m offering you a trade. The answer to my question in exchange for your little housekeeper, safe and sound.”

Rumplestiltskin’s eyes bored into Regina’s, holding so much anger and hatred that a shiver went down her spine. “Of course you have her,” he spat out.

“Yes, yes, of course I do,” Regina sighed, waving her hand. “Do we have a deal?”

Rumplestiltskin pursed his lips. “Safe and sound… And whole.”

“I didn’t take her heart, Rumple. I’m afraid you did that, though not quite in the same manner I would have.” Regina smirked. “Do we have a deal?”

“Yes, of course we do,” he sounded weary and the Huntsman stared in surprise at the shift in tone. “Magic, dearie.”

“Excuse me?” Regina said, leaning forward to look at Rumplestiltskin.

He laughed, shifting moods again, delighted with her surprise. “You heard me. My greatest strength is also my greatest weakness.”

“But how?”

“Magic made me this way, and it can take it away. After all,” he smirked, “all magic comes with a price. Get Belle,” he hissed, eyes narrowing dangerously. “Now.”

Regina stared back at him, almost as angry as he was. Without taking her eyes off of him, she addressed the Huntsman. “You heard our guest, Huntsman. Go get her.”

He didn’t hesitate to leave the throne room and run to the dungeon. “Belle!” he cried as he ran up to her cell. She looked up at him slowly as he fumbled with the keys to her cell door. “Get up.”

“What tortures does Regina have planned for me now?” she said, dropping her head back to her bed of straw.

“None,” he pulled the door open and kneeled next to her. “He’s here.”

Belle stared at him. “What?”

“Regina made a deal with him—information in exchange for you. He looked ready to murder her.”

“Rumplestiltskin is here?” she whispered.

“Yes,” the Huntsman told her, giving her the first genuine smile she had seen cross his face as he helped her stand. “It’s time to get you out of here.”

She smiled back at him before following him up flights of stairs and through long, cold hallways. She shivered; even the Dark Castle hadn’t felt as empty as Regina’s did. He glanced back at her and smiled before approaching a huge doorway that Belle knew must lead to the throne room. 

“Huntsman, wait.” 

He looked at her in surprise. “Don’t you want to get out of here?”

“Of course I do, but I also want to thank you.” He blinked and she couldn’t help but smile. “I doubt I’ll get a chance to say this once we walk in there, so thank you for everything, but especially for not letting me give in to Regina. I would have gone insane if it wasn’t for you.”

He smiled back at her. “Thank you for giving me hope again. Now, shall we?” She nodded and he turned back to the doorway.

She followed close behind him and had to stop herself from shouting Rumplestiltskin’s name. The sight of him filled her with so much emotion she could hardly contain it. It was more than just seeing the man she loved after so much time and so much pain—seeing him standing there, waiting for her, meant her freedom. It meant she was free of Regina’s abuse and that dark cell. It meant she could go home. 

“Here she is, just as I promised,” the queen drawled from her throne. 

Rumplestiltskin spun around faster than Belle would have thought possible and when he first saw her, he smiled, but as his eyes raked over her appearance and took in her matted hair and skinny body, the smile twisted into a snarl. He looked back at Regina. “She might be safe, but she’s certainly not sound.” Belle walked closer until she was only a few feet behind him and he shifted his weight so he was blocking her body from the queen.

Regina shrugged. “She has her heart, and she’s certainly better than the state you thought she was in this morning.” He growled in response before turning to Belle.

“Are you ready to leave?”

Belle laughed for the first time in weeks. “I’ve been ready to leave since I got here.” The corner of lips twitched and he grasped her arm before casting Regina another glare, who smirked. 

“I’m surprised at you, Rumple. After all, she is just a servant.”

Rumplestiltskin smirked back at her, holding Belle’s arm so tight she thought she have bruises in the shape of his fingers in the morning. “Yes, and Daniel was just a stable boy.”

Regina’s face twisted in shock and pain before she covered it with a mask again. “Get out.”

“Gladly,” he chirped before giggling. Then everything disappeared in a puff of smoke and Belle was back in the Dark Castle’s dining room. He released her and stepped away, avoiding her eyes. “I’ll get you something to eat. You look starved.”

“I have been imprisoned for weeks.”

He looked at her face and frowned. “For how long, exactly?”

Belle’s forehead furrowed as she tried to remember. “I’m not sure. She captured me a week after you threw me out.”

She saw him wince at her wording and then horror flash across his face. “Belle, that was three months ago.”

“Yes, I suppose it was,” Belle said, looking out the window—she noticed he hadn’t nailed the curtains back up—at the red and brown leaves. Summer had just been starting when she had left.

He opened his mouth, and when she looked back at him, he closed it again and turned to walk to the kitchen. She watched him leave and he paused in the doorway, turned his head towards her, and whispered “I’m sorry” just loud enough for her to hear.

She smiled slightly and turned her attention to the hall she had wished to be back in countless times over the last few months. The table was filthy and his chair hadn’t moved from its place in front of the fireplace, but there was no longer a large golden goblet on the largest pedestal on the edge of the room. Instead, there was a small, white teacup. It can’t be, she thought as she walked over to it. But it was. It was her chipped cup, and he had put it in the highest place of honor it could have. She picked it up, stroking her thumb over the simple blue design.

“I see you found your cup.”

She turned to see him placing a tray covered with food on the table. “You moved the goblet.”

“Golden cups can be replaced.” He was avoiding her eyes again by setting out the food, so she put the cup back in its new spot and walked to the table, hopping up on it to sit in her old spot. Rumplestiltskin handed her a plate and when she reached out to take it, he shot his other hand out and grabbed her wrist. “What did the queen do to you?” he whispered, staring at her scars.

Belle gently pulled her arm out of his grasp. “Regina didn’t give me those scars.” He stared at her in confusion and she sighed. “I did.”

“You…? But why?” he gasped, meeting her eyes for the first time.

“It was better than going insane,” she said, staring back at him. “Every time I felt myself loosing a grip on reality, I pressed my fingernails into my arm until the pain brought me back.” Pity came into his snake-like eyes, and she smiled. “It wasn’t that bad, actually. I always had knew you would find out she had kidnapped me. At least, I knew that until a week ago.” Her smile fell before she plastered it back on again. He gave her a look that told her he didn’t believe her fake grin, although he managed to not look at her eyes while giving her it. She sighed again. “That was when she told me that she told you that I killed myself.”

“Ah,” he breathed.

She frowned at him and changed the topic. “Why aren’t you talking? You won’t even look at me.”

He laughed. “I threw you out, dearie, and left you for the wolves.”

They remained quite for a few minutes as Belle ate and Rumplestiltskin stared at his hands, glancing at her occasionally as if he didn’t quite believe she was there. “Who is Daniel?” she asked, breaking the silence.

He laughed. “The man Regina loves. He was her family’s stable boy before she married King Leopold.”

Belle wasn’t sure what surprised her more—the idea that Regina could love or that Rumplestiltskin had admitted that he loved her, even if it was indirectly, to the queen of all people.

“What happened to him?”

“Her mother crushed his heart.” 

Belle shivered, remembering Regina gripping her fingers around her own heart before laughing and whispering, “Better leave that there so you can feel the pain when you realize you’re never getting out of here.” Belle shook her to push the memory away before turning back to Rumplestiltskin, who was swirling his finger in the dust that coated the table.

“So I’m your Daniel?”

He stopped playing with the dust. “There’s one key difference: I’m not going to let you die, Belle,” he said, meeting her eyes for just a second before looking at his hands again. “Of course, I won’t make you stay here if you do not wish to. In fact, I advise you not to stay here.”

“But you do love me?” He didn’t acknowledge that he heard her, just returned to his dust. “Rumplestiltskin, look at me.” He slowly raised his gaze. “Do you love me?”

“Yes,” he breathed, and she smiled. He put his hand on her arm, either to keep her away from him or to hold her near him—she thought both. “You were right about me: I am a coward, but power does not mean more to me than you. We just… We can’t be together.” His expression was so human that Belle almost forgot about the gold scales coating his skin, but that didn’t stop her from looking at him as if he had slapped her. 

“Why not, if I’m more important to you than magic?”

“I need my magic,” he sounded like he was begging, a tone she had never thought she would hear come from his mouth, and his eyes were pleading with her to understand. “I’m sorry, Belle. I can never give it up, and I can never give you the love you want and deserve. I can’t even kiss you.”

“You haven’t changed then,” she said, looking across the room to the chipped cup. “Why are you still choosing magic over me?”

He stayed quiet, and she turned to glare at him. Just as she was about to open her mouth to repeat her question, he whispered, “I need it to find my son.”

“What?”

“He was taken from me by magic, and I need magic to get him back,” he whispered again, sounding tortured.

He was avoiding her gaze again, but tenderness came into her eyes. She put her hand on his cheek and gently pulled his head to face her, forcing him to look at her. “I want to go back to my village tomorrow—”

He nodded stiffly. “Of course.”

“—just for a visit,” she finished. He stared at her in surprise and she laughed. “After that, I would like to travel. I have spent my entire life caged.”

Rumplestiltskin frowned. “You weren’t caged before you came with me.”

She looked at him in surprise. “Of course I was. I was the daughter of a king. My father loves me, but I was still political tool to be traded away to the highest bidder. I was never allowed anywhere without a guard, even to the market, and I was looked down on for reading and learning, though Papa insisted I be allowed complete access to the library. I could never be myself there. And then of course I was trapped here and got one sweet week of freedom before the queen captured me. I told you before—I want to see the world and have adventures. I still want the chance to be brave.”

“You’ve already been brave,” he murmured, looking down to his dust again.

Belle sighed and put her fingers on his chin, gently guiding his face so she could look him in the eyes. “I’m going to need a home to come back to. No one can travel for their entire lives, and I’d like to come back here, even if I can’t kiss the master of the castle when I return.”

She looked at him, eyebrows drawn together as if worried her would turn her down, and waiting. He looked back at her, not believing she was asking to be able to come back to the Dark Castle, back to him. “You’ll always have a home here,” he heard a choked voice saying before he realized it was his.

“I was hoping you would say that,” she said, smiling widely at him. “I have one condition before I agree to anything, though.” Her smile faded into an earnest expression. “You will treat me as your equal. That means you trust me, you let me help you, and you tell me the truth. No secrets, no white lies, no half-truths, and none of your word games where you say one thing but mean another. The complete truth, Rumplestiltskin.” Her eyes challenged him to turn her down, as if she knew he would never be able to say no to her ever again, and he smiled at her.

“If we’re adding conditions, I have one of my own, dearie,” she started to open her mouth in protest and he put a finger over her lips. “You let me teach you how to use a sword before you leave, since I’m assuming they never taught you how to defend yourself in your village. We don’t want another situation like Regina happening while you’re off traveling the world, do we?”

Belle laughed before hopping off the table and wrapping her arms around his waist. “Deal,” she whispered in his ear as he put his arms around her.

“How did you even find out that Regina captured me?” she said, pulling back to look at his face.

Rumplestiltskin left her arms and pulled himself up onto the table, tugging on her arm gently to urge her to join him like she would all those months ago. “What did Regina say she told me, exactly?”

Belle sat next to him and frowned. “That I killed myself so I wouldn’t have to suffer from a broken heart anymore.” 

He snorted and shook his head. “She would have been smarter to have told me that. If she had, I never would have known you were still alive.” Belle cocked her head and furrowed her forehead. “What she really told me was that when you left me, you went back to your father, but he saw you as tainted because of the time you spent with me, so he locked you in a tower and got holy men to cleanse you through torture until you couldn’t take it anymore and threw yourself off the tower.”

“My father would never do that!” Belle said. “I can’t believe that you actually thought that was true!”

Rumplestiltskin raised his eyebrows at her. “Yes, because I know your father so well, dearie.”

“Even still,” she said, frowning. “So you went to my father prepared to take your revenge over my death and found out that he hasn’t seen me since I came here with you?”

He smiled at her. “It might be best that you are going to go see him tomorrow. I don’t think I left him with the best impression of your safety today.”

“When was this?” she asked.

“Around midday. I didn’t waste any time going to Regina’s palace to get you away from her.”

She put her hand on his shoulder. “I do appreciate that,” she said with a hint of a smile on her voice. He hesitated before putting his hand on top of hers and smiling back at her.

\---

Belle opened her eyes when sunlight hit her face and smiled at the sight of the small but comfortable room that had been hers after a few weeks of working for Rumplestiltskin. Yawning, she stretched, enjoying the feel of a real mattress, not the thin straw mat on top of stone she had slept on in Regina’s dungeons, before slipping out of bed and putting on one of the dresses Rumplestiltskin had conjured into her wardrobe. She took her time walking from her room to the kitchen, loving the freedom to stretch her legs and go where she wanted to go, and once there, she took an apple and meandered to the Great Hall while eating it. When she got to the hall, she found Rumplestiltskin at his spinning wheel in the same spot where she had left him the night before.

“Did you move at all during the night?” she asked, walking up behind him.

He stopped spinning and turned to look at her with a wicked smile as she finished her apple. “Once, to make you this.” He reached into his pocket and produced a ring of thin gold bands woven together to resemble a net. “This ring will protect you from all magic, but especially Regina’s. Also, if you need me, I’ll always hear if you call my name while you wear it.”

Belle smiled and put the apple core on the table. “I thought you always heard when people call your name.”

He giggled. “I’m very good at blocking them out, dearie. But I’ll never be able to block you out as long as you have this on. I might even be able to hear if you shout my name in your head loud enough.” She laughed and he smiled warmly at her. “I take it you would like to get your visit underway?” She nodded. “I thought you might. Do you mind if I use magic to send you there?”

“Not at all,” she said.

Rumplestiltskin nodded. “When you’re ready to return, just say so into the ring and it will take you back here.” He handed her the ring and she slipped it onto her middle finger.

Wriggling her fingers at him, she smiled. “Thank you. Even without the protection, it’s lovely.”

He captured her hand and brought it to his face, pressing his lips to it, not quite kissing her fingers, and murmured, “Not as lovely as you.” She smiled widely and he looked embarrassed and dropped her hand, avoiding her eye. “Are you ready to leave?”

“Yes,” Belle said, trying to catch his eye. “Don’t miss me too much.”

He glanced at her and smirked. “Hold your breath, dearie.” He waved his hand and she was surrounded by purple smoke again. When it cleared, she was standing in the middle of her father’s throne room with everyone staring at her. Her eyes immediately searched out and found Maurice, who was staring at her through red-rimmed eyes.

“Papa!” she cried, running towards him. He stepped forward and opened his eyes, still shocked. It was only when he was hugging her that he choked out her name through his tears.

He clung to her for what seemed like minutes, but eventually grasped her shoulders and gently pushed her away from him. “How are you here? Rump… He was here yesterday and he said he let you go and that you were dead because of me and…” 

She smiled at him and glanced around at the court staring at her. “Why don’t we talk in private?”

Maurice nodded and smiled weakly at her. “Yes, of course. Let’s go to my sitting room, darling.”

He led her to the room and called for tea. Once they were settled, she told him her story. He was silent the entire time, listening to her tale of Rumplestiltskin’s kindness, his rejection of her, the queen’s imprisonment, and his rescue. She told him everything except for what Rumplestiltskin had told her the night before about his son. When she finished, he stared at her as if seeing her for the first time. Belle looked back at him, biting her lip, worried about his silence. “Papa?” 

She looked at him expectantly and he stared back at her, his face empty of everything except for shock. “You…You fell in love with that monster?” She opened her mouth to protest, but he cut her off. “Belle… You’ve always been too accepting and too kind, but this is too far.”

She looked at him sadly. “I don’t expect you to understand, Papa. Believe me, half of the time, I don’t understand. I do ask that you accept it, though. I’m not going to stop loving him because you don’t approve.”

“He’s just using you, Belle,” Maurice hissed. “Just like he uses everyone else. He doesn’t love you. It’s not real love.”

“Papa, when I kissed him, it started to break his curse! Only true love is powerful enough to break that magic,” she pleaded. “Please believe me. He’s not a monster. He’s done bad things, but he’s not a monster.”

“How can you say that?” Maurice yelled at her. “You have heard what he’s done to people!”

“He’s only done what they agreed to when they made the deal with him in the first place!” she screamed at him. She saw the surprise flash across his face at her raising her voice to him, but he quickly covered it with anger and she reached her hands out to him, pleading. “I know him, Papa. You don’t. Please, trust me.”

“You’re far too willing to look for the best in people, even when they aren’t human anymore.” He hissed and shook his head. “I’m not letting you go back to him. You are going to stay here where you are safe until you forget this delusion.” He reached out to touch her cheek but she stood up and took a few steps away from him, shaking her head.

“All I want is to be able to live my life as I please, and you’re trying to take that away from me. I thought you wanted me to be happy,” she said, betrayal written across her face.

Maurice sighed and stood up as well, sounding tired. “Your safety is more important to me than your happiness, Belle. I’m not going to let you throw away your life over some infatuation”

She shook her head, tears in her eyes, and turned to run out the door but was met by two guards outside. Her father addressed them. “Please escort Lady Belle to her chambers.”

She turned and caught his eye, a strangled sound escaping her throat. “Papa, don’t do this!”

“It is for the best,” he smiled at her.

She shook her head. “No, it isn’t. I don’t need you to leave the castle. Don’t make me sneak away in the night like a thief.”

He gave a laugh that sounded more like a bark. “You can’t escape, darling. Don’t fight me on this.”

Belle looked at him with pursed lips. She shook her head again. “Papa, I want to stay here and visit with you, but if you don’t rethink your decision by sundown, I will leave. I decide my life from now on.”

“I told you, Belle. You can’t leave.” He stared at her when she laughed.

“You really think he wouldn’t leave me with a way to return to him? You cannot keep me here. Please, Papa, don’t do this,” she said, trailing off at the look in his eyes that told her it was a lost cause.

Maurice smiled wanly at her and turned to walk back into the sitting room. As soon as his back was to her, the two guards grasped her arms and guided her to her childhood rooms. She twisted and glared at her father, catching his eye as he glanced back at her, disgusted at being treated like she was in Regina’s palace. Belle would not be a prisoner again, not after spending her whole life a prisoner to either society’s expectations of her or one of the two most feared people in the world. She knew from the look in his eyes that her father wouldn’t come to her by sundown, so as soon as she was in her rooms alone, she raised her hand to her lips, and whispered to the ring, “Take me… take me home.” She blinked and was back in Rumplestiltskin’s castle, in front of the fireplace in the Great Hall.

He was there, spinning again, and looked surprised when she appeared. “Belle? I expected you to be gone for a few weeks, not a few hours.”

She stared at him and choked out, “He wasn’t pleased with what I’ve chosen for my life.” She began to dig her fingernails into her arms again to stop herself from crying.

Almost immediately, he was by her side and was gently pulling her nails away from her arms. Her tears began to fall, staring at his hands preventing her own from adding to her scars. Hesitantly, as if sure she would push him away, Rumplestiltskin put his arms around her and pulled her to him, allowing her to collapse into his arms and cry into his silk vest.

Not knowing how to comfort her, he seemed to settle on stroking her hair. When Belle stopped crying and pulled away to wipe her eyes, he cleared his throat. Rumplestiltskin shifted awkwardly under her gaze until he finally said, “We can start your training tomorrow, but until then, I’m sure there are some books in the library you have not read yet.”

She let out a strained laugh, and nodded. “I like that idea.”

He brushed his fingers across her cheek and stared into her eyes. “You don’t ever need to worry about being caged again, Belle. I won’t let it happen.”

She smiled. “Thank you, but hopefully once you train me, I won’t need your help.”

Rumplestiltskin smiled back. “That is the goal, m’dear.”

She grinned, really, truly grinned for the first time since she had kissed him, before walking away to go to the library as he suggested. He turned to go back to his spinning wheel when she stopped and walked back. He looked at her again in surprise as she pulled herself up onto the table. She smiled at him. “Why go to the library when you owe me a story?”

He looked down at his feet and murmured. “So I do.”

“Rumple,” she said and he looked up at her. She patted the space on the table next to her. “Come tell me about your son.”


	2. Chapter 2

Storybrooke, Maine was a typical little town. With cute little Victorian houses, a closed down library, and a shifty pawnshop, the only strange thing about the town seemed to be the fact that, if pressed, one of the residents might admit that he couldn’t remember the last time they held an election or a high school graduation. Kids grew up, that was for sure, but no one seemed to remember graduations.

Not that anyone in the town noticed that. In fact, Christy French didn’t find that odd at all. She remembered her high school graduation and every detail and decision since then that led to her being pulled out of her nightmare at five-thirty in the morning to the sound of her roommate and landlady yelling at each other. She groaned as she rolled out of bed and pulled on a red skirt and white blouse before walking down the hall.

The voices echoing through the apartment in the basement of the inn led her into the kitchen, where Granny and Ruby were standing on either side of the counter going through the argument they had almost every morning over Ruby’s outfit for the day. Christy didn’t even have an alarm clock—she trusted those two to wake her up with their shouting. She grabbed an orange out of a bowl on the counter and settled into a seat at the table, peeling the orange and finding a strange comfort out of the familiarity of the situation.

“Christy isn’t putting her entire body on show for the whole town to see!” Granny yelled, pointing at her and causing Ruby’s whole face to turn red.

“Don’t drag me into this,” Christy said around a mouthful of orange. She swallowed and stood up before Ruby could scream at her grandmother. “We need to go or we’ll be late again.”

Granny huffed and turned to walk out the door and Ruby mouthed “thank you” at Christy before turning to leave as well, leaving Christy to follow, smiling as she pulled her long brown curls into a ponytail and rolled her eyes at the way Ruby was wearing her blouse so that her whole midriff was showing.

\---

Belle glanced around the tavern, avoiding catching the eyes of a group of men in a corner who were staring at her. She frowned as she picked up her pint to take a sip. She knew she could handle them if they approached her—Rumplestiltskin had made sure of that and she had fought off plenty of drunk men in the last two months—but she didn’t particularly want to deal with them.

“Here you are, love,” a woman said as a bowl of stew slid onto the table in front of Belle, who smiled up at the barmaid. 

“Thank you,” she said.

The woman frowned, glanced at the men in the corner, and leaned down. “Are you alright? A pretty girl like you shouldn’t be wandering around on her own.”

Belle smiled at her. “I’m fine. Really. Thank you, though.” The barmaid’s brow furrowed as she cast the men another glance before nodding and hurrying away to help a group who had just walked into the room. 

Belle watched her leave, her smile fading, and sighed, swirling her drink around. 

“Hey, lady,” a gruff voice said and she jolted out of her thoughts and looked at the short man standing in front of her. 

Not man, she corrected herself before she recognized him. Dwarf. “It’s you!” she said, smiling up at the bearded dwarf she had met in a tavern like this one before Regina captured her. 

His lips twitched, though she noticed lines around his eyes that hadn’t been there before. “Yes, it’s me. Are you here alone?” Belle nodded. “Why don’t you come sit with us?” He motioned to his table, where six other dwarves, a blonde man, and two brunette women were sitting. 

“Thank you,” Belle said, picking up her bowl and mug and following him back. “I never did catch your name.”

“Grumpy,” he said. “You?”

She frowned. The name didn’t suit the memories she had of him, though it did seem to fit the scowling dwarf in front of her. “Belle.”

He nodded as they arrived at his table. “This is Doc, Sleepy, Bashful, Sneezy, Dopey, and Happy,” he pointed to each dwarf in turn before turning to the man and the two women. “And this is Charming, Red, and—” 

He was cut off as Belle said “Snow!” at the same time Snow cried “Belle!” Snow stood up as Belle rushed around the table to hug her.

“Well, I guess I’m not needed anymore,” Grumpy muttered as he swung himself down to sit across from Red and Charming.

“You’re alive,” Snow said in Belle’s ear, causing Belle to jerk out of the embrace to stare at her friend.

“Of course I’m alive. What made you think I wasn’t?” she said, her stomach sinking.

Snow frowned. “Your father announced that you were dead a few months ago.” She smiled and moved a strand of Belle’s hair out of her face. “I’m so glad you’re not, but why would he say that?” 

Belle scowled. “He’s doesn’t approve of what I’ve chosen as my lot in life.” 

“Meaning?” Snow asked as she motioned for Belle to sit between her and Red, who was wearing a long cloak even though the tavern was boiling.

Sighing, Belle tried to think of a way to tell Snow the truth without telling her the whole story. “He doesn’t like the idea of me traveling, even though all I’ve ever wanted is to see the world. He also doesn’t like the man I fell in love with, and I suspect he also resents me taking away the chance to strengthen his kingdom.”

“That’s horrible!” Snow said.

The man, Charming, leaned forward and said, “It always comes down to love, doesn’t it?” Red gave a dark chuckle.

“I suppose it does,” Belle said, staring at Charming, trying to place the familiar face. She gasped. “You’re Prince James!”

“I was once,” he said, glancing at Snow. “I don’t mean to be rude, but who are you?”

“She’s King Maurice’s daughter, Belle,” Snow said, smiling at Belle. “We’re childhood friends.”

Red laughed and grinned at Belle. “Look at you three royals, all on the run from your parents.”

Charming and Snow laughed with her, but Belle frowned at the twinge in her gut that happened when she looked at Red.

“How do you know Grumpy?” Red said, and Belle forced thoughts of the strange feeling out of her mind.

“We met in a tavern months ago,” she said, looking across the table where Grumpy was sitting, watching the exchange.

“She gave me some good advice,” Grumpy said, a distant smile dancing across his lips.

Belle nodded. “Your love, did it work out?” Snow looked at her friend in surprise

Grumpy looked down and shook his head. “No, it didn’t.” Belle opened her mouth even though she didn’t know what to say, and Grumpy saved her from trying to come up with something by asking, “What about you? You told me you had your heart broken, but you just said your father doesn’t approve of your love. Did it work out for you?”

Belle laughed. “When I met you last, I did have a broken heart. So yes, I suppose it has worked out better since then, though many would say it hasn’t and my relationship is strange, to say the least.”

Prince James frowned. “What do you mean, strange?”

“If it was normal, I would be in some cozy little home with my love instead of in this tavern alone,” Belle said and he laughed.

“That is true,” he said and smiled at Snow. “I know all about strange relationships.”

Snow smiled back at him as Red laughed again and said, “We all do, Charming.”

“Charming?” Belle asked. “Why do they call you that? It’s an odd name.”

“You say that as you’re sitting with seven dwarves named for their personalities, a woman named after weather, and another woman named after a color,” Grumpy grumbled. “You have the most normal name out of all of us.”

“I suppose I do,” she laughed. “But only if you don’t count James. Why do you go by Charming?”

“It’s a long story,” he said, “and not one to be told here.”

Belle nodded and let the conversation drift to other topics. By the time they had all finished eating, she was proud to say she remembered each dwarf’s name, but she was dreading them all leaving. She thought about the last two months since she had left the Dark Castle and how wonderful and free they had been, but also how lonely. Belle missed being around people, telling stories just to hear laughter and enjoy the warmth of companionship, and she had found not just an old friend, but also an immediate friend in Red, who Belle talked to most of the dinner as the dwarves talked amongst themselves and Snow and Charming sat with their heads huddled together. She hated the idea of being separated from these people she had just met, and as she realized how much she had craved friendship since she left Rumplestiltskin, she made a decision. “Snow?”

“Hmm?” Snow turned away from Charming to look at Belle.

“Can I travel with you for a while? The road can be so lonely, and…” she trailed off, biting her lip when she noticed Snow’s pursed lips and the sudden tenseness from Red, Charming, and Grumpy.

“Belle,” Snow said slowly. “That’s probably not the best idea. We’re constantly fighting King George’s men as well as my step-mother’s, and to be honest, what we’re doing could get us all killed. I don’t want to get you mixed up in that.”

“I doubt it’s so bad,” Belle said. “It’s not like you’re trying to overthrow the kingdom.” She froze when Snow’s eyes widened and Charming’s jaw dropped. “By the gods, that’s what you’re doing, isn’t it?” She glanced at Red, and all of their faces had the same shock, which she took for a confirmation, and Belle smirked. “Well, now I just want to join you even more.”

“What?” Snow said, staring at the girl who had always been so sweet and gentle in shock as she declared her desire to go to war against the queen.

“There’s no love lost between myself and Regina,” Belle said, looking at Snow. “She kept me in her dungeon for months when I had done nothing wrong, and I’ve seen the terror she inflicts in the hearts of her people. Please, let me help.”

Charming frowned. “Why did she look you up if you did nothing wrong?”

“It’s a long story,” Belle said, smiling at him, “and not one to be told here.”

He laughed. “Fair enough. Can you use that sword you wear?”

“Of course,” she said. “And I’ll challenge you to a duel any day of the week.”

Red laughed. “Then we could use your help,” she said, smiling at Belle.

All three looked to Snow, who was still frowning at her friend. “Are you sure, Belle? You’ve never been…”

“Violent?” Belle said, grinning. Snow nodded and she laughed. “No, I’ve never been violent, but you know me. I’ve always been passionate. Of course I’m sure. Remember when we promised to always help each other? I’m fulfilling my promise.”

Snow smiled and squeezed Belle’s shoulder before standing and pulling Belle up with her. “Then I’d be thrilled to have you along. We only came here to hear news. We have to go back to camp now.”

Belle noticed a few of the dwarves hurrying over to the group from various corners of the tavern as they stood to leave. “Meet me out front,” Belle said to Snow. “I need to get my things.” Snow nodded and Belle hurried up the stairs to the room she had rented for the night. Unlocking the door and stepping through, she quickly grabbed her bags, threw on her cloak, and then went back to the bar, where she flagged down the barmaid. “I’m not staying overnight after all,” she explained, handing the woman the key. “Take care.” 

She turned to go out the side door when the woman stopped her, a worried look on her face. “Love?” Belle turned to look at her. “Be careful.” Belle nodded at the barmaid and slipped out the door, jogging to the stables, where she had the stable boy get her horse for her. When he returned, leading the large tawny horse with a beautifully embroidered leather saddle on him, Belle tossed her bags over his back and took the reins, stroking the beast along the white blaze going down his face.

“Hello, Philippe,” she murmured before turning back to the stable boy and tossing him a gold coin. “Thank you.” She hurried out of the stables, pulling the hood of her gold and green cloak up over her head.

Leading Philippe around to the front of the tavern, she joined Snow and her friends. Snow stared at her. “When you said you were getting your things, I didn’t realize that included a horse.” Belle smiled sheepishly and Snow laughed. “Well, having a horse certainly can’t hurt. Come on. We need to get going.” Belle followed her as Snow fell in line with Charming, following the dwarves down the road that went into the forest. Red walked next to Belle, her own red hood pulled over her head as well, and Belle tried to ignore her the her body’s reaction to the woman beside her.

“Red,” Belle said and nodded towards Snow and Charming. “Are they in love?”

Red chuckled. “They’re married.”

“Married!” Belle stared at Snow in surprise.

“Yes,” Red said, “and their love is part of what got us into this mess.”

“What do you mean?”

“If they weren’t in love, we would only be on the run from Queen Regina and Charming would be married off to some princess,” she said. “But because Charming fell in love with Snow, he refused to marry the girl King George wanted him to. Then the king snapped, Charming joined us, and we’re on the run from both kingdoms.”

“I can’t blame him,” Belle sighed. “Arranged marriages are terrible.”

Red glanced at her. “Were you in one?”

“I was betrothed. He was horrid,” Belle said, frowning at the memory of how Gaston looked at her like she was his next hunting trophy.

“What happened?”

“I found a way out,” Belle said, trying to think of a way to change the conversation from this topic that was getting dangerously close to Rumplestiltskin. No matter how long she had been friends with Snow, she didn’t think any of them would be able to overlook her association with the Dark One. “What about you? Have you ever been betrothed?”

Red laughed. “I’m no princess like you and Snow. I’m just a village girl who got caught up in politics because I was stupid enough to befriend a runaway princess.” Snow turned around and glared at Red, who grinned at her before she rolled her eyes and turned back to Charming.

Belle smiled at the two friends before asking, “Do you have some village boy waiting for you back at home, then?”

Pain flashed across Red’s face before she turned away from Belle. “I did, once. Not anymore though.”

Belle paused, giving Red the chance to continue if she wanted, but when she didn’t after few moments, she looked ahead and saw the dwarves slipping one by one into the forest, followed closely by Snow and Charming. Red smiled at Belle again before following Charming along a path Belle couldn’t quite discern. She thanked the gods that the trees were far enough apart for Philippe to walk through as she swallowed her fear of getting lost and glanced behind her at the road before stepping into the forest. Clearing her throat, she said, “Where are we going?”

“Camp,” Red said, turning to give Belle a wolfish grin that didn’t quite reach her eyes. 

\---

“Don’t let Granny catch you reading on the job again,” Ruby whispered into Christy’s ear, making her jump where she stood behind the counter.

She glanced down at the book in front of her. “No one’s here right now and we’ve already cleaned everything up. I doubt she’ll care.”

“I know,” Ruby said, rolling her eyes. Her normally bright red lipstick was worn off after the long day of working in the diner. “I don’t know why we can’t just close early.”

The bell above the door rang and Christy laughed. “That’s why.” She turned to greet the customer who just walked in, and smiled widely when she saw the rugged man in front of her. “Hi Graham!”

He gave her a small smile as he collapsed onto one of the barstools. “Hey, Chris. Can I have a scotch?”

“Long day?” Ruby said, getting him his drink. He drank it in one gulp before responding.

“Long couple of days.”

“Dish,” Christy said, leaning over the counter towards Graham. Ruby refilled his drink, then copied her, and Graham chuckled. The three had been friends since high school and they all knew that the two women were Graham’s only friends in town. Everyone always commented how strange their relationship was—the town’s gossip, bookworm, and antisocial sheriff—but everyone accepted it.

“You know how Regina was panicking about Henry going missing yesterday?” He said, leaning in to the two women.

“Let me guess,” Christy snorted. “He came home last night with some story about finding a bear cub or something.”

“Something like that,” he said, taking a sip and laughing at Ruby and Christy’s glares as he left them in suspense. “He came home with his birth mother in tow.”

“What?” Ruby said, her eyes flashing.

He nodded. “He went all the way to Boston to find her.”

Christy’s jaw dropped. “So what happened?” Ruby asked.

“When she was leaving Storybrooke last night, her car spun out after having some drinks at Regina’s, so I arrested her, but apparently, she’s a bail bondswoman, so when Henry went missing again today, she helped Regina find him.”

Christy gasped. “Regina let her near him?”

Graham smirked. “She didn’t have any choice.”

“So where is she now?” Ruby prodded, anxious to hear the whole story.

“Regina probably ran her out of town by now,” Graham said, shrugging.

“Poor girl,” Christy said, staring at the counter. Ruby and Graham nodded, and the three fell into a thoughtful silence

“Girls, why don’t we head home?” Granny said, walking out of the kitchen absentmindedly before seeing the three with their heads together, completely quiet. “What’s wrong? You three not talking might as well be a sign of the apocalypse.”

Graham smiled. “Nothing’s wrong, Granny.” He drank the last of his scotch and threw a few bills on the table, winking at Ruby and Christy. “I’ll keep you updated.”

“What—”

“We’ll tell you later,” Ruby said, cutting Granny off as Graham left. “Did you say we’re going home?”

Granny nodded, eyeing her granddaughter and her friend, who might as well be her second granddaughter. The two helped her lock up and in a few minutes they were walking back to the inn together. Ruby and Christy were exchanging looks the whole way and Granny sighed as they walked into the lobby and she went behind the counter. “Christy?” she said, stopping the two girls from walking downstairs to their apartment. “Are you working for Mr. Gold tomorrow night?”

“Of course. It’s a Wednesday,” Christy said.

The door opened and all three stared at a blonde woman none of them had ever seen before standing there awkwardly. Ruby and Christy glanced at each other, sure this was Henry’s birth mother. 

“Excuse me?” she said, her flicking between the three women. “I’d like a room.”

“Really?” Granny said, staring at her in disbelief. Ruby’s mouth dropped as Granny immediately hustled about to get room keys they couldn’t remember ever touching. “Would you like a forest view or a square view? Normally there’s an upgrade fee for a square view, but as rent is due, I’ll waive it.” Christy smiled at Granny’s enthusiasm for the first guest in years.

“Square is fine,” the woman said, smiling as well.

Granny smiled back at her, opening her ledger. “Now, what’s the name?”

“Swan. Emma Swan.”

“Emma,” said an accented man’s voice, causing Christy and Ruby to jump, so focused on watching Emma that they hadn’t heard Mr. Gold, the pawnbroker, open the door. Emma turned at looked at him standing behind her, confused. “What a lovely name.”

“Thanks,” she said, brow furrowed as he smirked at her, not sure what to make of the skinny man who practically oozed power in front of her.

Granny fumbled in her drawer, handing him a roll of money as her excitement drained away. “It’s all here.”

“Yes, yes, of course it is, dear. Thank you,” he reached out and took the money before turning back to Emma, eyeing her like she was a prized stallion he was thinking about buying. “You enjoy your stay… Emma.” He smirked again when he said her name and Christy felt Ruby shudder next to her. Emma didn’t look fazed at all as he walked away and opened the door. He glanced at the two girls standing on the other side of it. “Miss French, I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said before walking out the door. Christy nodded before she realized that he couldn’t see her and Ruby’s eyes narrowed at the closing door

“Who’s that?” Emma said, watching Ruby pull back the curtains to watch him walk away.

“Mr. Gold,” Ruby said. “He owns this place.”

“The inn?”

“No,” Granny said, looking away from the door and back at Emma. “The town.” 

Emma looked startled and glanced at Christy. “Why will he be seeing you tomorrow?”

“I work in his shop,” she said, smiling at her. “I’m Christy. This is Ruby.”

The woman gave her a small smile. “Emma.”

Granny seemed to have finally shaken herself of Mr. Gold’s visit. “So, how long will you with us?”

“A week. Just a week.” Christy glanced at Ruby, surprised at the determined tone in her voice. Ruby smirked back at her. They were both thinking the same thing: she would be staying for much longer than a week.

\---

Belle could sense that this was an old part of the Enchanted Forest. The trees were humming with so much magic that she could almost taste it on her tongue, but it was watchful and guarded, unlike any of the magic she had felt before. While Regina’s was dark and cold, piercing her to her soul, and Rumplestiltskin’s felt mischievous with a hard edge lying underneath, this magic felt ancient, wise, and warm.

“You can feel it, can’t you?”

Belle snapped her eyes from the large oak she could have sworn had stretched its branches towards her to Red, who was looking at her curiously. “Feel what?”

“The magic of the forest,” Red said, motioning towards the trees.

Belle paused, not sure if she should admit to being able to sense magic. Glancing at Snow, who looked like she was arguing with Charming, she decided to trust Red. “Yes.”

“Do you have magic?” Red asked.

“No,” Belle said. “But I’ve been told that I’m sensitive to it. Do you?”

Red sighed and looked straight ahead. “In a way. I’m the only one who can feel the forest the way you can, but I can’t wield magic. It’s just… a part of me.”

Belle nodded, realizing that the strange twinge she felt every time she glanced at Red was her body’s reaction to magic coursing through her friend’s body. “How so?”

“Charming and you both have pasts you’d prefer to keep to yourselves,” Red said, giving Belle a small smile. “So do I. Besides, it’s too horrible.”

“Oh, I doubt it’s that bad,” Belle said. “I know horrible when I see it, and you certainly aren’t it.”

Red gave Belle that look again, trying to figure her out, but Charming called Belle’s name before she could say anything.

The two women looked at him as he walked towards them with Snow trailing behind him, frowning. He took a deep breath. “Belle, you must understand, we have two kingdoms after us, and you’ve already admitted that you’ve been captured by Regina before. We can’t let anyone find out where our camp is, and while Snow trusts you…”

“You need to know why Regina held me captive,” Belle finished for him. He nodded and she sighed. “Please understand, not all of it is my story to tell, but I’ll share what I can.” She glanced around at the trees, which she fancied were leaning in to hear her tale. “To make it short, I fell in love with the wrong man. She wanted to have an advantage over him, so she kidnapped me, threw me in her dungeon, and told him I was dead so that when she wanted something from him, she could pull me out and threaten to kill me.”

“Who was he?” Snow said, head cocked.

Belle smiled and shook her head. “That’s information that I’m not at liberty to share. I’ve already been looked away once for it. I’d rather that not happen again.”

“He’s the one who taught you how to use a sword, isn’t he?” Snow pressed. “And he gave you the horse and the silk vest?” Belle stared in surprise, and Snow laughed. “So he’s wealthy and knows his way around a battlefield. Some knight friend of your betrothed, perhaps?”

Belle laughed. “That would explain my father’s distaste of my love. But no, that’s not it.”

Snow frowned, trying to think of who he could be, and Charming asked, “How did you escape from Regina?”

“My love has powerful connections,” Belle said, shrugging. “Once he discovered I wasn’t dead, he found a way to smuggle me out of the dungeon.”

Charming’s frowned deepened, but Snow looked excited. “It was the Huntsman, wasn’t it?” she exclaimed. “The Huntsman helped you?”

Belle almost laughed in relief at Snow practically feeding her a believable story. “Yes, he did. Do you know him?”

“He’s helped us before,” Charming admitted, sighing. “Promise you won’t tell anyone of our camp. Regina, King George, even the Dark One if he tries to find out.” Red shuddered at the mention of Rumplestiltskin and Belle suppressed a frown.

“The Dark One could likely find out without any of our help, but I promise. Of course I promise,” she said.

Charming smiled at her. “I’m sorry. We just can’t be too cautious.”

Belle smiled back. “I know. I appreciate you trusting me.”

“Snow trusts you,” he said, wrapping an arm around Snow’s shoulder. “That’s good enough for me. I just had to know your story, even if you can’t tell us all of it.”

“You two are lovely together,” Belle said, ignoring the pang of homesickness going through her. She was still surprised every time she missed the Dark Castle instead of her father’s home. “I’m happy you’ve found each other.”

“Thank you,” Snow said, smiling up at Charming before turning to walk through the forest again. “Come. We still need to get to camp.”

The group started following her through the forest again and Charming turned to look back at Red and Belle.

“Belle?”

“Yes?”

“Just a word of warning: if the Dark One does try to make a deal with you, don’t accept it unless you truly have no other options. He’s dangerous,” he said.

Belle had to take a moment to suppress her laughter before she could reply. “Believe me, I know about making deals with him. I think they’re rather overrated, actually.” The three stared at Belle, who only smiled and said, “So how far do we have to go to camp?”

“Only about a half-mile,” Snow said, still staring at Belle.

“Lovely,” Belle said and grinned. She was finally getting to have a real adventure.


	3. Chapter 3

The fire at the center of the clearing was crackling merrily, casting a low glow on the group surrounding it. Belle was wrapped in her cloak between Red and Grumpy, watching Snow, Charming, and a large black man talking in hushed tones on the other side of the fire. Scattered amongst the trees were tents that housed a few dozen men (their men, Snow had assured her) that were eating or polishing their armor between casting Belle curious looks.

“So are you going to tell me who your friend is?” the man next to Charming said, raising his voice and looking over at Belle, who met his warm eyes with a smile.

“Belle, this is Lancelot, a former Knight of the Round Table,” Snow said, putting her hand on Lancelot’s arm fondly. “Lancelot, this is Belle. She’s a childhood friend of mine who asked to help us.”

He raised his eyebrows at her questioningly and Red interjected. “She’s more runaway royalty. You know the princess of the Marchlands who was declared dead?” Lancelot nodded. “Well, you’re looking at her.”

“What happened?” Lancelot said, looking at Belle with confusion and admiration.

“It’s a long story,” Belle said, shrugging. “The basics are that I fell in love with the wrong man and have been punished for wanting to choose my own life.”

“It’s too easy to love the wrong person,” he said thoughtfully before eyeing Belle’s sword. “How good are you with that blade?”

Belle smiled. “Pretty good.”

He stood up and drew his own sword, smiling at her. “Prove it.” Belle eyed him hesitantly. She had never faced someone as large as him, and although she was proud of the fact she beat Rumplestiltskin once when she banned him from using magic to aid him, she was worried about going against this knight. Lancelot’s smile only grew wider. “Come now, Princess. We need to know your abilities if you’re going to help us, aren’t we?”

Belle sighed and stood, taking her cloak off. “Just Belle. I’m not a princess anymore.” Lancelot smirked and she followed him to an empty part of the clearing that was lit by torches, where she drew her sword. The group around the fire followed them and the men in the camp gathered around the edge of what was the dueling ground.

“Well, Belle, let’s see what you can do,” he said, flashing her a grin before thrusting his sword at her, which she parried easily. It was just a quick stab to test her, she knew, but she could tell he was pleased she could at least do that.

“You have such little faith in my abilities,” she said, blocking another one of his thrusts.

“Princesses don’t tend to have much of an education when it comes to war, in my experience,” Lancelot said, laughing as he circled her.

“Good thing I’m not a princess anymore,” Belle said, smirking as she attacked him. He almost didn’t get his sword up in time to block her thrust and she saw him set his teeth in irritation that she had surprised him. Their chatting stopped as the pair began to duel in earnest, circling and blocking, thrusting and ducking. Every time Belle blocked one of Lancelot’s more forceful attacks, the men surrounding them would cheer.

His strength and size was his advantage as much as her speed and agility was hers. She spun around him, only occasionally thrusting her sword towards him, making him chase her and making him frustrated and sloppy in his own technique. He was still the better swordsman—how could he not be, after years of training—but she was determined to prove that she could still hold her own against him, so when he knocked her sword out of her grip and advanced, smirking at his win, she thrust her hand into her boot and pulled out a dagger. Belle heard Snow laugh as she blocked the sword with the dagger and ducked behind Lancelot, catching her leg across her knees and tripping him. Just as she was about to pin him down with her knee, he rolled backwards and jumped up, catching her wrist and forcing the dagger out of her grip as he held the tip of his sword to her stomach.

They stared at each other for a moment, but then Lancelot laughed and let go of her. “You certainly aren’t a princess, fighting like that.”

“And what does that say about me?” Snow said, smiling as she picked up Belle’s sword and handed it to her to sheath.

“You’re not a princess anymore either,” Lancelot said before turning back to Belle. “That was impressive. Not many can hold their own against me for so long. Where did you learn how to handle a sword?”

Belle shrugged. “I had a good master.”

“Which master?”

“The one who values his privacy,” Belle said, sticking her chin out defiantly.

Lancelot shrugged. “Fair enough,” he said, walking back towards the fire. Belle noticed him glance back at her with a furrowed brow as she retrieved her dagger and slipped it back into her boot.

“Where else do you have weapons hidden?” Charming said, an amused smile on his face.

“Places Snow wouldn’t like you thinking about,” Belle said, smirking at the blush that came up into his face. Snow laughed and smiled at Belle.

“I think I underestimated you,” she said. “You were always so quiet and seemed like you were happy to stay in your library. I never would have thought you would be able to almost beat Lancelot.”

Belle laughed. “I read because it helps show me the world, not because I’m helpless. I wouldn’t still be alive after two months on the road if I didn’t know how to defend myself.”

“Especially not dressed like this,” Red said, leaning forward to inspect Belle’s vest. She frowned, holding her finger over the embroidery that covered it. “Is this gold thread?”

Belle tensed as Snow and Charming both stared at the vest. Charming was the first to speak. “Only one person can make gold thread.”

The three stared at her as Belle bit her lip and offered them a small smile. “I told you I was familiar with dealing with the Dark One.”

“For gold thread?” Snow said, frowning. “That doesn’t seem like you.”

“No, it’s not what I asked for,” Belle said, shaking her head. “It was just an extra perk.”

“The Dark One doesn’t give extra perks,” Charming said. “I know. I’ve dealt with him too many times.”

“I know,” Belle said. “In this situation, he did. It’s a long story that’s not entirely mine to tell. I’m sorry.”

“You are getting more and more mysterious,” Snow said, shaking her head with a small smile on her face.

“I know,” Belle said again. “I’m sorry I can’t tell you more.”

Snow nodded and smiled at her. “I understand secrets, Belle. It’s alright. Just make sure they’re ones that we won’t be angry about if we learn them.”

Belle nodded as she followed them back to the fire, biting her lip.

_Belle stood with Rumplestiltskin in the gateway to the Dark Castle, holding Philippe’s reins and watching his face as he stared out through the gate._

_“You would be wise not to tell anyone about our relationship,” he said, not turning to look at her._

_“Yes, I know,” she said, waving her hand dismissively. “People would try to use me to get to you.”_

_“Not just that,” he said, his voice low. “I fear that even friends you might make would look at you differently because of your association with me. I don’t need to tell you that I’m not loved by anyone besides you.”_

_Belle frowned at his back and stepped forward, wrapping the arm not holding Philippe around his waist and laying her head on his shoulder. He sighed before hugging her back. “I have common sense, Rum,” she whispered into his neck. “I’m not going to run around announcing myself as the Dark One’s consort.”_

_That drew one of his giggles out of him. She smiled and drew back to look him in the eye. “I’ll be careful. I have my sword, you gave me an easy getaway,” she nodded towards the horse, “and I have my ring. Don’t worry about me.”_

_“Easier said than done, m’dear.”_

_She drew away completely, pulling herself up onto Philippe before smiling down at him. “Then try not to worry too much.” He nodded and she knew he didn’t want to let her go, not after finding out she was still alive just four months before. She knew he wanted to tell her she needed to work with her sword more before she would be ready, and she smiled wider at him. Nothing would prove to her how much he loved her more than the fact that he was letting her go to choose her life. He was giving her what her father never would have. “Goodbye, Rumplestiltskin.”_

_“Goodbye Belle.” She felt his eyes on her until the path turned and he couldn’t see her from the Dark Castle anymore._

\---

Christy walked down the street towards the pawnshop, her nose in her book, taking advantage of her only opportunity so far that day to read after a long shift at the diner and what looked like it was going to be a long night. She barely looked up as she walked across the street and stood in front of the pawnshop, her hand on the door handle as she finished her chapter. She could feel Mr. Gold’s eyes on her from inside, so she skimmed the last couple pages before grunting in frustration at the cliffhanger, tucking the book into her purse, and walking into the shop.

“Good evening, Mr. Gold,” she said, smiling at him as she walked behind the counter to put her purse down and get a dusting rag.

“You’re late, dear,” he said, putting his hand up to silence her as she turned towards him. “You would have been on time if you hadn’t decided to guard the entrance to my shop.”

Christy opened her mouth, fully intending to protest, but she stopped at the look in Mr. Gold’s eyes. They were dancing with mischief, an expression she had never seen on him before, and her jaw dropped. “A-are you teasing me?” she said.

He snorted, turning back to the paperwork he had in front of him. “You say that like I don’t have a sense of humor.”

“I wasn’t aware that you did,” she said dryly.

He paused and a distant expression crossed his face as he examined her before he shook his head and muttered, “No, I expect you weren’t.”

“Are you alright, Mr. Gold?” she said, stepping towards him. “You’re not acting normal.”

“I’m fine, m’dear,” he said, offering her a small smile. “Nothing a cup of tea won’t fix.”

“You hate tea.”

“Do I?” he said, frowning, that distant look crossing his face again. “Yes, well, my tastes have changed.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Your tastes have changed since Sunday when you wouldn’t let me bring my ‘hot plant water’ into your house?” He shrugged and she shook her head, turning to get a dusting rag, but she smirked and turned back to him, leaning against the counter across from him. “I know what will make you feel like yourself again.”

“I haven’t felt so myself in a long time, Miss French,” he murmured, avoiding her eyes.

“I still know something delightful,” she said, still smirking, and he glanced at her before nodding for her to tell her story. “You remember the woman who was checking into the inn last night? Emma Swan?” He nodded again, fixing his eyes back on his paperwork as something strange crossed his expression, but she pushed it out of her mind and continued. “Graham arrested her today for stealing Henry’s file from Archie Hopper,” Mr. Gold looked up at her in surprise, his full attention on her again, “but the thing is, she says Archie gave her the file and Regina set her up. The charges weren’t enough for Graham to hold her and the last time anyone saw her, she was heading towards City Hall with a chainsaw.” Christy finished the story smugly, enjoying Mr. Gold’s obvious shock. “I told you it was delightful.”

He laughed, and Christy stared at him in surprise. It was a well-known fact that Mr. Gold didn’t laugh, or at least didn’t laugh genuinely, but he just did because of something she told him. He shook his head, still chuckling, and smiled at her fondly. “Delightful indeed.” The smile faded from his face when he saw her expression and he cleared his throat. “Enough chatting, m’dear. I don’t pay you to entertain me.”

She nodded and started on dusting the items in the glass cabinets on the other side of the shop, glancing back at him over her shoulder to where he stood where she left him, that distant, unreadable expression on his face. They worked in silence for the rest of the night, though she could feel him watching her throughout her shift, and she tried to figure out why he was acting so strange. Joking around with her, wanting tea, and laughing were all strange enough, but smiling at her like he cared and calling her “m’dear” were certainly not in character for him. She had finally decided that he must have a fever when he spoke to her again for the first time that night.

“Do you like Beauty and the Beast?”

“What?” Christy said, looking down at him from the stepladder she was on to dust the unicorn mobile. He was leaning against the counter next to her, staring at her intently.

“Beauty and the Beast. Do you like it?”

“Yeah, I do,” she said, tilting her head as she watched him. He never asked her about herself beyond how her day was, and now he was asking about her fairytale preferences. “I actually did my senior thesis in college on it.”

He blinked. “You did?”

“Yeah. I was an anthropology major, so I wrote about all the different versions of the story around the world,” she said, stepping down off the ladder to face him.

“Why Beauty and the Beast?” he said, leaning towards her, his eyes fixed on hers. She shifted uncomfortable under the intensity of his gaze.

“Belle’s my favorite princess,” Christy said and he looked amused. “I always thought the was the most similar to me.”

Mr. Gold’s amused expression faded into something soft and sad. “Yes, I could see that,” he murmured, still staring at her. They both jumped when a clock somewhere in the depths of the shop chimed and he shook his head. “Your shift is over, Miss French. I trust you’ll have a good night.”

She nodded and slipped past him to get her purse. When she walked past him again to go to the door, he hadn’t moved and was staring up at the mobile she had just been cleaning, the expression that had been on his face all day reappearing. At the door, she paused and turned back to him. “You can call me Christy, you know.”

He glanced at her and smiled sadly. “Good night, Miss French.”

“Good night, Mr. Gold.”

\---

Belle and Red trudged tiredly into camp, leading Philippe, who was burdened with supplies. The pair had left early that morning, riding to Red’s Granny’s home to pick up the food Granny had stored for them. It took most of the day to walk back as they couldn’t ride with all the bags Philippe was carrying and it was dark by the time they returned.

“Have I ever told you,” Red started, interrupted by a yawn, “how glad I am you brought a horse with you?”

Belle grinned as they began to unload the food. “Only about a hundred times today.”

Red laughed and both of them greeted Lancelot as he joined them. “I was starting to get worried about you two,” he said. “Belle, I missed our spar today. I was hoping to redeem myself.”

“Now that I’ve beat you, don’t expect me to let you start winning again,” Belle said, brushing a stray curl back into her plait. Every day for the last month, she and Lancelot had crossed swords. The day before had been the first time she managed to beat him, and she knew he was pleased with her progress, however much he complained of wounded pride.

The three finished unloading Philippe and Belle was about the take off his saddle when Red grabbed her wrist, staring into the woods.

“Red?” Belle said, glancing at Lancelot, who was staring at Red.

“King George’s men,” Red whispered, snapping her eyes away from the woods and pointing instead. “That way.”

Lancelot swore. “King George’s men approaching from the northeast!” he bellowed and the camp exploded with activity. Belle saw Snow and Charming run out of a tent as Lancelot turned back to Red and Belle. “You two take Philippe and head south. Red knows where to go.” He gave Belle a knee up before following after Snow and Charming and Belle leaned over to pull Red up behind her, kicking Philippe into a canter too dangerous for the woods, though they didn’t have a choice. They barely made it into the cover of the trees before arrows began raining down into the clearing.

Philippe tore through the trees and Belle sent a silent prayer to the gods that he wouldn’t break a leg as she ducked to avoid a low-hanging branch that Red didn’t manage to duck in time to avoid and was swept off the horse with a gasp as Philippe hurtled into a clearing. Belle managed to slow him enough to turn around, calling Red’s name as loudly as she dared with King George’s men in pursuit.

“What are you doing, m’dear?”

Belle gasped and twisted in the saddle to face the voice, her hand flying to the dagger in her belt, relaxing when she saw Rumplestiltskin standing on a fallen log, smirking. “I could ask you the same thing,” she said, frowning. “I need to find Red.”

He waved his hand flippantly. “The wolf-girl is safe.”

Belle glanced worriedly in the direction she had come from and then looked back at Rumplestiltskin. “What are you doing here?”

“I knew King George was planning a raid tonight, so I wanted to make sure Snow and her prince survived,” he said, frowning back at her. “Of course, I wasn’t expecting to run into you here. Which reminds me, m’dear, you didn’t answer my question.” He jumped off his log and strolled over to her and Philippe.

“I’m helping an old friend get her life back,” she said and he glared up at her.

“You’re helping Regina’s worst enemy overthrow her.”

“And it’s the first time I’ve chosen what I’m going to do in my entire life,” she said. “I’m finally getting to be brave.”

“You were always brave,” he murmured. “Belle, it’s dangerous.”

“You taught me well,” she said, smiling. “I can beat a Knight of the Round Table.”

He looked impressed for a second before his expression became serious again. “I can’t… Belle, I can’t lose you again,” he choked out.

“I know, Rum,” she said, leaning down to touch his cheek. “I am careful. You don’t need to worry about me.”

“Impossible,” he said, tilting his face into her hand before stepping back, covering his concern. “At the very least, I’ll always be worried you’ll trip and hit your head.” She laughed and he grinned mischievously, bowing deep. “Your friend is looking for you, m’dear.”

Belle prodded Philippe in the direction he pointed. “Rum?” she said, twisting in her saddle to catch his eye. “It was good to see you.”

His expression softened. “And you.”

She smiled at him before Red’s voice came calling out from the forest. “HELP! BELLE, HELP!”

Belle kicked Philippe in the direction of the voice but Rumplestiltskin was suddenly standing in front of him, holding onto the reins and looking into the trees. “King George’s men have her,” he hissed.

Belle clenched her teeth and pulled out her sword as Red’s screams pierced the air.


	4. Chapter 4

“Rubes?” Christy called out as she opened the door to the basement apartment.

“She’s out,” Granny said from the couch, glowering at the Hallmark movie she was watching.

“Which boy is it this time?” Christy said, sighing as she dumped her bag on the table.

“Hell if I know.”

Christy made her way into the kitchen and made two mugs of tea, handing one to Granny as she sat down on the couch next to her.

“Thank you,” Granny said, taking a sip and relaxing slightly. “I had to kick Emma Swan out today.”

“Why?” Christy said, tucking her legs under her.

“The mayor’s office called. Apparently there’s a no-felons policy.”

Christy snorted. “I wonder how often that’s been put into effect.”

Granny grunted in agreement and the pair watched the rest of the movie together, making sarcastic comments and groaning when the main character got her ex-husband back in a tearful reunion. “Why do we even watch these?” Christy said, laughing at Granny’s grimace as the man proposed to the ex-wife again.

“Because they take our minds off of Ruby,” she muttered, breaking the spell.

“Ah,” Christy said before stretching out. “Well, I’m going to go to bed. Long day.”

“Any day with Gold in it is bound to be long,” Granny said, making Christy snort as she padded down the hall and into her room. “Night, Christy.”

“Night, Granny.”

\---

Belle unsheathed her sword as Rumplestiltskin stared up at her, gripping Philippe’s reins. “You’re not going into the middle of a battle,” he hissed.

“The hell I’m not,” she said, glaring at him. “Rumplestiltskin, if anything happens to her because you held me back from helping her, I swear I will never talk to you again.”

They stared at each other, waiting for someone to give in, and after a few moments he sighed and stepped away from her, releasing the reins and watching emotionlessly as she nodded her thanks before prodding Philippe into a gallop towards the sounds of Red fighting off soldiers.

As she barreled into the clearing where King George’s men surrounded Red, Belle felt Rumplestiltskin’s eyes following her and saw arrows that should have hit her missing their targets. As she stabbed towards the soldiers, she sent him a silent thank you.

“Took you long enough,” Red shouted as she tried to slash a pathway towards Belle.

“We got a bit tangled up in the forest,” Belle said, knocking a sword out of the way to give Red time to clamber up behind her.

Red kicked a soldier trying to pull them off of Philippe and wrapped her arms around Belle’s waist as Philippe took off into the forest again. They rode at a breakneck pace until they were certain they weren’t being followed, and then Belle slowed Philippe to a walk. The feeling of being watching faded and she glanced around to try to get a last glimpse of Rumplestiltskin, but he was gone.

“Wait,” Red said and Belle pulled on the reins to let Red slip off Philippe and walk around the clearing.

“What are you doing?” Belle said, watching as Red sniffed the air.

Red stiffened, then laughed. “I’m trying to figure out where we are, since someone took us in a random direction.”

“You are very welcome for the rescue, by the way,” Belle said dryly.

“Hmm,” Red said, ignoring Belle as she stared in the forest before nodding to herself and getting back on Philippe. “That way,” she pointed in the direction she had been staring.

They rode until well past midnight, Red seemingly knowing exactly which direction to go the entire time, until they reached a small shack next to a creek set against a rock wall. Red and Belle swung off of Philippe and Belle followed Belle into a cave in the rock.

“Set him loose in here,” Red said pointing to a pen set in the back of the cave that had a large white horse already in it.

Belle quickly took off Philippe’s saddle before going into the cabin with Red, who knocked three times on the floor, waited, and then knocked five times. Slowly, a small trapdoor opened in the floor and Charming peered out of it.

“Thank goodness you two are alright,” he said, throwing it open and allowing them to clamber down the ladder and into the basement where Snow was waiting.

“And you,” Belle said, hugging Snow before collapsing on the ground.

“What took you so long?” Charming said, handing Red and Belle some dried fruit from a store in the corner of the room.

“Red fell off the horse and almost got captured by King George,” Belle said, smiling at Red’s glare.

“I didn’t fall off the horse. A branch knocked me off,” she muttered before frowning. “Where’s Lancelot?”

“We don’t know,” Snow said, exchanging a worried glance with Charming.

\---

“We are not watching some stupid action movie!” Ruby said, her long legs stretched in front of her on the couch and her heavy makeup scrubbed off.

“Well, we’re not watching a chick flick,” Graham said, glaring at her as he took off his tie and threw it onto the ground with his jacket and vest.

“This is what we’re watching,” Christy said, cutting them off as she walked into the living room, brandishing the DVD she had retrieved from her room. Granny had gone to bed and her friends were gathered in the apartment for one of their movie nights. It was the only time they really got to spend together between all of their jobs and relationships (or, in Christy’s case, books). “It has action for Graham, romance for Ruby, and comedy for me.”

“The Goonies?” Ruby said, wrinkling her nose. Graham nodded, agreeing with her for once, and Christy rolled her eyes.

“Yes, and it’s final,” she said, popping it into the DVD player and throwing herself on the couch between them, pulling the bowl of popcorn into her lap.

“It sounds weird,” Graham said, snagging some popcorn.

“I always choose the movies because you two always argue,” Christy said, glaring at him as she grabbed the remote. “And you both always end up loving my choices.” Graham sat back in defeat. “Mr. Gold was acting weird yesterday,” she said.

“You mean more than usual?” Ruby muttered.

“I mean not himself,” she said and Graham laughed. “No, I’m serious! He was teasing me and actually asking me about myself and he wanted tea!”

“Oh no, not tea!” Ruby said, making Graham snigger in Christy’s ear as he leaned over to eat popcorn. She swatted his hand absentmindedly.

“You don’t understand,” Christy said. “He hates tea. Abhors the stuff. He won’t let me drink it in his presence and suddenly he’s craving it.”

“Maybe your addiction has finally rubbed off on him,” Graham said, chuckling as Christy pulled her hand back from reaching for the mug she had on the table self-consciously.

“I’m just saying it was weird,” Christy said. “He was nice to me.”

Ruby shrugged. “Maybe he’s trying to get into your pants.”

“Ruby!”

“If he does that, you tell me,” Graham said sternly. “I’ll take care of him.”

“Yeah, cause you take care of Ruby’s boyfriends so frequently,” Christy said before turning to Ruby. “Speaking of which, I’ve been meaning to talk to you. Is it really necessary to be out every other night with a different guy? Granny was worried sick the other night, though she tried not to show it.”

“I’ll stop sleeping around when Graham stops fucking the mayor,” Ruby said, looking up at Christy lazily and grinning when Graham protested.

“I am not sleeping with Regina!” he said, making Christy and Ruby roll their eyes. “Let’s just start the movie,” he muttered, snagging the remote and pressing play.

Ruby produced a dark red blanket and spread it across their laps. After complaining about the boys being annoying for the first fifteen minutes, Ruby and Graham were both transfixed, as Christy knew they would be, and she smiled at them. This was how she liked her friends best: Ruby acting herself instead of the show she put on for the rest of Storybrooke, and Graham relaxed, not thinking for once about how miserable his secret affair made him.

The kids in the movie had just had another near-death experience when Graham’s cell phone began to ring shrilly. Christy paused the movie and Ruby glared at him as he smiled sheepishly and answered it.

“Hello?” he grimaced as whoever was on the other line spoke.

“Ten bucks says it’s Regina,” Ruby hissed in Christy’s ear.

“I’m not betting you when you’re right,” Christy said.

“Yeah, I understand. I’ll be right over,” Graham said before hanging up and looking up at his friends apologetically. “I have to go. There’s an, um, emergency at the animal shelter.”

“Animal shelter. Right,” Ruby said flatly.

“Well, he will be under a bitch,” Christy muttered under her breath so that only Ruby could hear, earning a snort for her efforts. She raised her voice and looked at Graham. “And you have to go? You can’t, you know, send someone else?”

“I don’t exactly have a deputy,” Graham said as he put his vest and tie back on before standing up.

“Maybe you should get one,” Ruby said as he shrugged into his jacket and headed for the door.

“Maybe,” he said like he always did. “Bye, girls. See you later.” He slipped out the door, ignoring the glares fixed on his back.

“This sucks,” Ruby said, flopping back onto the couch. “We’ll always be second best to Regina, won’t we? Never mind the fact that we actually make him happy.”

Christy grimaced. “I suppose there’s no point in finishing this now, is there?” Ruby shook her head as Christy turned the television off.

“I wouldn’t mind him bailing on us for a girlfriend so much if he actually liked her, you know?” Ruby said, snuggling up against Christy.

“Yeah, I know,” Christy said.

\---

_Belle looked up from the dirty floor of the dungeon at the man who slid a bowl of thin broth and a chuck of bread between the bars._

_“What’s your name?” she said. He stilled, narrowing his eyes as he stared at the bars of her cell. “Please. You’re the only person I see besides the queen.”_

_He met her eyes for the first time and she shrunk back from the empty look in them. “I don’t have one. I’m the Huntsman.”_

_“Well, Huntsman,” she said, forcing a smile onto her face. “I’m Belle.”_

_“Yes, I know,” he said, still staring at her unblinkingly._

_“Thank you,” she said as she reached for the stale bread._

_“What for?”_

_She picked at the bread. “You don’t need to be so kind to me.”_

_“I’m not kind.”_

_“You’re not cruel.”_

_He sighed. “No innocent person deserves to have their life stolen from them.”_

_She glanced at him sidelong. “You sound like you’re speaking from experience.”_

_“I wouldn’t choose to work for Regina if I had a choice,” he said, bitterness seeping into his flat tone._

_“Why do you then?” She stood up and pressed herself against the bars._

_“She has my heart.”_

_“Oh,” Belle said, smiling sadly. “I’m sorry that you’re not happy about it. Love is someth—”_

_“I don’t love her,” he snarled. “She took my heart and uses it to control me.” Belle stared at him in horror and he gave her an empty smile, all emotion draining away. “Don’t pity me. There’s nothing you can do.”_

_“You know why Regina is keeping me, don’t you?” When he nodded, she reached out and grasped his arm. “Rumplestiltskin will come for me. He will. And when he does, I’ll help get your heart back. I promise.”_

_He smiled at her again, though it was clear he didn’t believe her. The next day he brought her a blanket and the day after that an extra piece of bread. He began to spend what little free time he had standing outside her cell exchanging stories and cleaning her wounds when Regina tired of trying to get information out of Belle._

_He was the only friend she had in that cold cell and she was the closest thing he had to a friend in the whole palace._

Belle and Red huddled against the wall together, wrapped in their cloaks and a blanket Snow gave them to share the warmth, and though neither slept, it was another hour before there were three and five knocks on the ceiling. Charming went up the ladder and was followed back in by Lancelot. Snow hugged him in relief as he clambered down behind her husband. Belle sat up, untangling herself from Red and her cloak.

“I had to lose a tracker,” Lancelot said, smiling at Snow as she handed him food and water. After drinking his fill, he looked at the four. “So what now?”

“We don’t have nearly enough men to fight either George or Regina, let alone both of them,” Charming said and Snow grimaced.

“We need more allies,” Snow said. “We have the fairies and some scattered men, but we need more. Lancelot, do you think the Round Table would consi—”

“No,” he said, glaring at Snow. “You know Arthur and I didn’t part on good terms. He won’t help me, not even to bring down Regina.”

Belle glanced at Red, who shook her head and mouthed “later.”

“Who else is there?” Snow moaned.

“I have some friends in the east I can ask,” Lancelot said.

“How many?” Snow said.

“Two,” Lancelot said sheepishly and she groaned.

“I bet Princess Abigail would help us,” Charming said. “Especially after what happened with Frederick.”

“King Midas’s daughter?” Belle said and Charming nodded. “Do you think Midas would give us troops?”

“He might,” Charming said.

“Well, it’s worth a shot then,” Belle said.

“What about Robin Hood?” Red said. “The man in Sherwood who robs from the rich? I doubt he’s fond of Regina or George.”

“I doubt he would be willing to abandon the people he’s protecting,” Snow said.

“It doesn’t hurt to ask,” Belle said.

“I think we should go to him,” Red said, nodding.

“How about the witch Maleficent?” Lancelot said.

“Yes, why don’t we bring a dark witch in on this?” Red said. “Why don’t we just ask Rumplestiltskin to be best friends while we’re at it?” Belle bit her cheek to keep from laughing.

“I was just trying to come up with an idea,” Lancelot growled.

Charming cut Red off before she could argue more. “Maleficent wouldn’t want to help us anyway. I may have stuck a golden egg in her while she was in dragon form.”

“What?” Lancelot and Belle said at the same time.

Charming shrugged. “It was Rumplestiltskin’s price for helping me find Snow while she was under the sleeping curse.”

“He asked you to put a golden egg inside a dragon?” Belle said slowly, narrowing her eyes when Charming nodded. “I wonder why.”

Charming shrugged. “He’s insane.”

Belle laughed. “You have a point there. So we have Lancelot’s friends, Abigail, and Robin Hood to ask?” Belle said.

“I’ll leave right away to go to my friends,” Lancelot said.

“Charming and I will go to Abigail and Midas,” Snow said.

“So that leaves Robin Hood to us,” Red said, winking at Belle, who smiled.

Snow nodded.

“We should all leave at nightfall. Until then, I am sleeping,” Charming said, flinging his body down so his head was on Snow’s lap, who rolled her eyes even as she stroked his hair. Soon all five were curled on the floor together.

Belle frowned in the darkness as Red next to her. She had no idea what a golden egg’s purpose might be, but she was sure it was something she would want to know about, and Rumplestiltskin never mentioned it. He was so hesitant to trust her, but she knew she deserved to know, even if he was stubborn about it. She realized she had fallen sleep when Snow shook her awake and told her it was time to leave.

“Let’s hope Philippe is rested enough,” Snow said as Belle followed her up the ladder.

Red, Charming, and Lancelot were already standing outside the cave with their horses when Belle walked in to saddle up Philippe. As she led him out, Charming smiled at her. “Good luck,” he said.

“And you,” Belle said as she vaulted onto Philippe.

“Do whatever it takes to get Robin to help. We need him,” Snow said.

“We can handle a few sweaty men in a forest,” Red said and Belle laughed.

“That we can,” she said as she helped Red mount Philippe behind her.

“Good luck,” Lancelot said.

“And you,” Charming said as he and Snow mounted his horse. Belle nodded to them before nudging her heels into Philippe’s sides, urging him into a trot towards the southerly road.

\---

On Sunday, Christy brought Graham lunch at the sheriff station and he told her about the John Doe that had woken up at the hospital.

“And he just walked out?” Christy said, sitting on his desk as she ate some of Granny’s “homemade” lasagna.

“Yep. Like he hadn’t been in a coma for years,” Graham said. “Emma helped me find him and then his wife showed up at the hospital.”

“His wife?”

“Apparently she thought he had left her,” Graham said, frowning. “What I don’t understand is how no one knew him. Storybrooke isn’t small enough for a man who has a wife still in town to go unidentified for years.”

Christy shrugged. “Weirder things have happened.”

“Like Mr. Gold drinking tea?” Graham said, arching an eyebrow and unsuccessfully trying not to smirk.

“Yes!” Christy said, waving her fork at him. “Make fun of me all you want, but I’m never going to get over that.”

Graham snorted, running a hand through his hair, and Christy cursed when she saw the time on his watch. “I have five minutes to get to Mr. Gold’s house for work! Bye!”

“Bye, Chris,” he called after her as she ran out the door.

She managed to make it to his house only a couple of minutes late, trying to stop panting as she knocked on the door.

“Hello,” Mr. Gold said, opening the door before raising his eyebrows. “Did you run here, Miss French?”

“More or less,” she said, slipping past him and stepping towards the kitchen. “The usual routine today?”

“Yes,” he said and turned to head down the hall to his study before pausing. “Though if you could bring me in a pot of tea before you leave, that would be lovely.”

She stared after him as he limped away before realizing she should say something. “Yes, of course, Mr. Gold.”

He glanced back at her, amused, before stepping into his study and shutting the door firmly behind him.

She got to work, going upstairs and stripping the sheets from his bed to throw in the washer before dusting and sweeping the first floor of the house, then pausing to put his sheets in the dryer and surreptitiously take a look at his bookshelves to see if he had anything new.

“You can borrow some, if you like.”

She jumped and looked behind her guiltily, her hand still stretched toward a novel, to see him watching her in the doorway. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have been—”

He stopped her with a wave of his hand. “You’re entitled to breaks, Miss French. If you’d like to read something from my collection, I just ask that you tell me what you’re taking when you do.” He retreated to his study, leaving her gaping after him again.

She finished cleaning and remade the bed before going to scrub down the kitchen. As she finished up the sink, she put water in the kettle and made him his tea, finding a tray in the cupboards. She put the novel she had been eyeing on the tray and carried it with her to the study, knocking on the door with her elbow.

“Come in,” Mr. Gold said from inside.”

“Er,” Christy called awkwardly. “I can’t really open the door.”

She heard the sound of his cane coming towards the study door and braced herself for his irritation as he opened it, but was instead met with eyes twinkling mischievously. “My apologies, Miss French.”

“Christy,” she said, setting the tray down on the desk where he indicated. “My name is Christy.”

“Why so reluctant to be called Miss French?” he said, leaning against the desk and pouring himself a cup of tea.

“I haven’t spoken to my father in years,” she said. “I’d rather go by my name, not his.”

He bowed his head, but she thought she saw sadness flash across his face before he did. “I can respect that… Christy.” He smiled at her and she narrowed her eyes.

“Are you sure you’re feeling alright, Mr. Gold?”

“Of course I am,” he said, his brow furrowing as he looked at her oddly. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“No reason,” she said, scooping the book up from the tea tray. “I’d like to borrow this book, if the offer still stands…”

He nodded. “An excellent choice. Thank you, Christy. I’ll see you on Wednesday.” He cleared his throat and sat back down, busying himself with the papers strewn across his desk.

“Have a good evening, Mr. Gold,” she said as she left the study, feeling his eyes following her.

\---

Red and Belle rode all night and as dawn broke, they found a sheltered meadow off the road to curl up in and turned Philippe loose to eat the soft grasses growing there.

“I’ll take first watch,” Belle said and Red nodded, yawning before folding in on herself until she was a small ball under her red cloak. Grabbing a piece of wood, she began witling it with her dagger to stay awake, and when she couldn’t keep her eyes open, she shook Red awake and lay down to sleep herself.

It was dusk when the crackling of a fire woke her, Red crouched next to it prodding it with a long stick. They only dared to build one just before the sun set, hoping that the smoke would be hidden better than during day and the light hidden better than during night.

“Here,” Red took some meat cooking on a stick above the fire out to Belle. “I trapped a rabbit while you were asleep.”

“Thanks,” Belle said, biting into the meat. “You’ve been busy.”

Red shrugged. “I’m not one to let my mind wander, unlike you. You’re always thinking about something.”

Belle laughed. “That is true. In any case, this is delicious.”

“Nothing better than some vermin to eat while on the run,” Red said, making Belle laugh.

After they finished eating, Red removed all signs of their presence as Belle prepared Philippe for travel. “We should be there by morning,” Red said as she pulled herself up behind Belle and they left the clearing.

“Good,” Belle said. “So what happened between him and King Arthur?”

Red sighed. “I don’t know the whole story, but from what I’ve gathered, he fell in love with the queen.”

“What?”

“And apparently it wasn’t exactly one-sided,” Red said, pressing her cheek against Belle’s back.

“That’s…,” Belle trailed off and she could feel Red smile into her back.

“I know.”

They were quiet for the rest of the night, trying to pass through the foreboding trees as quickly as possible. This part of the world wasn’t a gentle, nurturing wilderness like the one they had spent the last month in, but rather had a darker past to it that permeated the air around them and sent shivers down Belle’s spine.

“This forest is like the one I grew up in,” Red whispered in Belle’s ear, holding tightly to her waist. “It’s the kind that makes you imagine monsters behind every tree.”

Belle shivered again. “We can handle monsters.”

Red laughed, though it didn’t have any humor in it. “You have no idea.”

\---

Graham slumped into his usual barstool at the counter in the diner and smiled up at Ruby as she put a cup of coffee in front of him. “Thanks, Rubes. Hey, Christy,” he waved her over from where she had been putting a plate of eggs in front of Leroy. “Did Gold want more tea yesterday?”

Christy nodded, her eyes wide enough to make Ruby and Graham laugh. “He had me make him a pot before I left. And,” she leaned in conspiratorially, “he let me borrow a book.”

“He’s definitely trying to sleep with you if he’s loaning you books,” Ruby said before walking away to fill up Mary Margaret’s coffee cup, her hips swinging.

Christy frowned and Graham patted her hand, trying not to smile.

After the breakfast rush ended and Ruby and Christy were wiping down tables, Ashley Boyd walked in, collapsing in the booth Ruby was cleaning. “Ash, you okay?” Ruby said and when Ashley shook her head, she sat next to her in the booth.

“What happened?” she said and Ashley put a packet of papers in front of them. “What is that?”

“My contract with Mr. Gold,” she said. “I’m keeping my baby.”

“Good for you,” Ruby said, grinning. “Show him who’s in charge.”

“Ashley,” Christy said slowly, walking up behind Ruby. “Where did you get that?”

Ashley bit her lip. “I stole it from Gold.” When Christy gave her a horrified look, Ashley buried her face in her hands. “I know, but I didn’t have a choice. It’s not like he’ll change the contract. It’s Mr. Gold we’re talking about.” Christy and Ruby exchanged a glance as Ashley sat back up. “I’m going to Boston. I just wanted to say goodbye.” Ashley stood up and made to leave the diner as quickly as her pregnant belly would allow.

“Wait,” Ruby said, going behind the counter and fishing her keys out of her purse, tossing them to Ashley. “Take my car.”

“Thanks,” Ashley said and Christy frowned at Ruby as she left to pack before taking the car.

“Was that the best idea?”

“She should be able to keep her kid,” Ruby said.

“Yeah, but stealing and running away?”

“It’s Gold we’re talking about, Chris,” Ruby said, echoing Ashley’s words.

Christy sighed and made sure to stay inside while Ruby talked to Emma about where Ashley could be, though she did hug Ashley goodbye and wish her luck when she returned to get the car.

“I’ll call you when I get there,” Ashley assured Ruby as she got into the car. She waved as she drove away.

“Emma will be back,” Christy said and Ruby waved her off. “And just for the record, I didn’t have anything to do with it. I barely know the girl.” Ruby rolled her eyes at her.

When Emma did return, Christy couldn’t help mouthing “I told you so” over Emma’s shoulder as she asked Ruby about the contract.

“Look, Ashley’s my friend,” Ruby said, ignoring Christy. “I don’t like the idea of people judging her.”

Christy froze as Emma picked up Ruby’s wolf ornament. “Ruby, where’s your car?” Emma said, looking at her in horror before groaning as Ruby avoided her eyes. “You didn’t send me to Sean to find her. You sent me there to give her a head start.”

“Look, I’m only trying to help her,” Ruby said, brandishing a dishtowel.

“Yeah, so am I!” Emma said, leaning on the counter. “Ashley’s in more trouble than you know, Ruby. Where is she? Don’t make her deal with Gold without me.”

Christy leaned against the counter next to Emma, watching Ruby eye Henry. “I can’t talk in front of him,” she finally said. “He’s the mayor’s kid.” Christy held back a snicker as Emma sent Henry home and Ruby walked back.

Ruby fidgeted awkwardly and Christy rolled her eyes, speaking for Ruby. “She left town. Said she was going to try Boston.”

“How long ago did she leave?” Emma said, looking between Ruby and Christy.

“About half an hour,” Ruby muttered, groaning as Emma left.

Not long after, the diner’s phone rang and Granny picked it up. She waved over Ruby and whispered to her before Ruby ran over to Christy. “That was Emma. Ashley’s in labor. I need you to drive me to the hospital.”

“What?” Christy said, staring at her.

“C’mon,” she said, grabbing Christy’s apron and pulling her out the door. “Granny said the other girls will pick up the slack. We need to go.”

When they got to the hospital, Ruby barreled into the waiting room where Emma was, Christy trialing behind. A nurse stopped her from running straight into the delivery room to make her put on some sanitary scrubs.

Christy sat next to Henry in the waiting room, fidgeting as Emma paced in front of them before grabbing a magazine and forcing herself to focus on it, ignoring Henry’s talk of the curse.

“Miss Swan?” All three looked up at the doctor walking over to them. “The baby is a healthy six pound girl and the mother is doing fine.”

“Thank you,” Christy said, relaxing for the first time since Ashley had come into the diner that morning. The doctor smiled and walked away.

“What lovely news.” Christy whirled around at the sound of Mr. Gold’s voice and narrowed her eyes. “Excellent work, Miss Swan. Thank you for bringing me my merchandise.” Christy frowned, both irritated that a baby was merchandise and hoping that he wouldn’t think she was involved and fire her on the spot, but when she glanced at Emma, she saw that Emma wasn’t going to give him the chance to turn on her. He just smirked and walked to the coffee machine behind them, not even acknowledging Christy.

“Stay with Henry,” Emma said to Christy, not taking her eyes off of Mr. Gold’s back as she stalked over to him.

Christy and Henry looked at each other and both leaned as far back in their seats as they could, just barely able to catch the conversation.

“Care for a cup, Miss Swan?”

“The baby? That’s your merchandise?” Emma said and Christy could imagine the glare on her face even if she couldn’t see it. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“At the time, you didn’t need to know.”

“Really? Or you thought I wouldn’t take the job?” Emma said, mirroring Mr. Gold’s movements so that she stayed between him and the delivery room.

“On the contrary,” Mr. Gold said, smiling. “I thought it would be more effective if you found out yourself.”

“What does that mean?” Henry whispered.

“Shh, Henry,” Christy hissed, irritated that Henry made her miss part of what Mr. Gold said. “We won’t know if we don’t listen.”

“—anyone could understand the reasons behind giving up a baby, I assumed it would be you,” Mr. Gold said. Christy glanced at Henry, whose eyes widened, and she squeezed his hand.

“You’re not getting that kid,” Emma said.

“Actually, we have an agreement. My agreements are always honored.” Henry’s hand clenched Christy’s and he bit his lip.

“What is it?” Christy whispered.

“I’m trying to figure out who Mr. Gold is,” Henry said. Christy tried to smile before turning her head to hear behind her better.

“I like your confidence. Charming,” Mr. Gold said, amused. “But all I have to do is press charges. She did, after all, break into my shop.”

“Let me guess. To steal a contract?” Emma said.

“Who knows what she was after?” Mr. Gold said. “Though Miss French over there might know.” Christy stiffened and glanced behind her. Mr. Gold and Emma were still staring at each other as if he hadn’t just dragged her into their battle.

“No jury in the world would but a woman in jail whose only reason for breaking and entering was to keep her child,” Emma said. Christy watched Mr. Gold’s poker face, though she bet he was cackling internally. “I’m willing to roll the dice that that contract doesn’t stand up. Are you?” Mr. Gold paused, staring at Emma. “Not to mention what might come out about you in the process. Somehow I suspect there’s more to you than a simple pawnbroker. You really wanna start that fight?” Mr. Gold was frowning at her, but it turned into a smirk again.

“I like you, Miss Swan. You’re not afraid of me.” He glanced at Christy for a split second. “That’s either cocky or presumptuous. Either way, I’d rather have you on my side.”

“So she can keep the baby?”

“Not just yet. There’s still the matter of my agreement with Miss Boyd.”

Christy stood up and moved behind Emma, crossing her arms and staring hard at Mr. Gold. “She never wanted to agree to it though,” she said.

Emma shot her a glare before fixing her attention on Mr. Gold again, who was watching Christy carefully. “Tear it up.”

“That’s not what I do,” Mr. Gold said, shrugging. “You see, contracts—deals—well, they’re the very foundation of all civilized existence. So I put it to you now: if you want Ashley to have that baby, are you willing to make a deal with me?”

“What do you want?” Emma said hesitantly.

“Oh, I don’t know just yet,” Mr. Gold said, smiling with what could be mistaken for warmth. “You’ll owe me a favor.”

He stared at Emma until she agreed and turned away, and then smirked proudly before catching Christy’s eye. He gave her an odd, almost hopeful look, before nodding to her and turning away, leaving her to watch him walk out of the hospital.

\---

Close to dawn, Belle pointed out a tall stone sticking up next to the road. “We’re passing into Sherwood now. Keep your eyes open for any sign of Robin Hood.”

Red sat up straighter, eyes narrowed as they darted between trees. Belle slowed Philippe down to a walk as Red pointed to a barely noticeable trail leading into the forest. “There,” she said. “That reeks of bandits.”

“Bandits or vigilantes?” Belle murmured as she turned Philippe onto the path.

“Hopefully both,” Red said, reaching past Belle to pull on Philippe’s reins before sliding off and walking in front of the horse, eyes scanning the woods around them. They had walked on the path for nearly a mile when Red froze, Belle barely managing to halt Philippe before he walked right into her.

“Red? What is it?”

“As we’ve been tracking Robin Hood, someone’s been tracking us,” Red hissed and Belle’s hand flew to the hilt of her sword as the woods were suddenly full of laughter on all sides.

“Very good, darling. I’m surprised you noticed us so soon,” a deep voice said from the trees ahead of them. A man dressed in black with dark hair and dark eyes stepped out from behind a large oak, fingering the sword at his hip as he examined them with cold eyes. “Now, what are you ladies doing in my forest?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I finally got this whole thing planned out, and it should end up being 17 chapters. And now that I've gotten a chapter-by-chapter plan, updates should come faster. Thanks for reading!


	5. Chapter 5

"Now, what are you ladies doing in my forest?"

Red's eyes narrowed as she stared at the man, but Belle glanced around and watched as more men crept out of the shadows of the forest before looking back towards the one who was clearly the leader.

"Please, we're just passing through," Belle said, trying to sound pleading.

"I thought you were looking for Robin Hood," he said, taking a step towards Belle.

"Our grandmother is in trouble," Belle said. "Please, we just need his help."

He paused, glancing between them. "What are your names?"

"I'm Christine," Belle said, swallowing as his eyes flicked to Red, who was glaring at him. "My sister is Scarlett."

"Please let us pass, sir," Red said through clenched teeth.

He clucked his tongue. "The forest isn't a safe place for two pretty things to be in alone, especially when they're liars."

* * *

Christy slid a beer in front of Graham and leaned against the counter, sighing.

"What is it?" he said, smiling as he took a sip.

"I just don't see how that contract was legal."

Graham snorted. "Chris, you don't even like Ashley. Why are you still thinking about this?"

She glared at him. "You're the sheriff. Why aren't you still thinking about this?"

"You know Gold does what Gold wants," Graham said. "If I even tried to get a case brought up against him, all evidence would disappear. Besides, I would rather not have him as my enemy."

Christy snorted. "Some sheriff you are."

"I hear that," Ruby said, joining her behind the counter, and Graham glared at them.

"Actually," he said slowly, his glare fading into a thoughtful look, "I thought about what Ruby said about a deputy."

"Oh?" Ruby said, smirking. "So am I right for once?"

"I asked Emma to take the job," he said, ignoring her as he drank the rest of his drink. "She's thinking it over."

"I think that's an excellent idea," Christy said, smiling as Ruby nudged her side. She looked at her and they exchanged a grin.

"What?" Graham said, narrowing his eyes.

"Nothing," Christy said, grabbing a menu and walking around the counter to give it to Marlise, a redhead who sang at a nightclub down by the docks.

"I know that look," he called after her. When she got back behind the counter, he was still badgering Ruby, who was ignoring him. "Whatever," he muttered before handing Ruby some money and standing to leave.

"Bye, Graham!" Ruby called after him before laughing with Christy.

* * *

"We're not lying," Belle said through gritted teeth.

The man grinned wickedly. "Completely charming. Why are you trying to find Robin Hood?"

Belle stayed silent and the man opened his mouth to talk when there was a crashing sound in the forest as if something very large was running toward them. The men around them drew their weapons and Red took advantage of their distraction to jump up onto Philippe behind Belle.

"So bandits then," she muttered in Belle's ear.

"Bandits," Belle whispered, clenching her hands around the reins before pausing, watching the man knock an arrow into a bow she hadn't noticed him bearing and pointing it in the direction of the crashing. "Isn't Robin Hood an archer?"

"The best," Red said, her eyes widening when she saw the man. "Do you think…?"

They were answered as the source of the crashing barreled onto the path in the form of a tall, skinny man with dark blonde hair and carrying a lute, crying "Robin!" when he spotted the man.

"Allan," Robin barked, glaring at the new arrival. "We're a little busy at the moment."

Allan looked around, green eyes widening when they landed on Belle and Red, who were amused, before looking back to Robin. "Sorry, Robin. Did I ruin another raid?"

Robin just glared at him, making Red laugh.

"So you're Robin Hood?" Belle said, smiling at the man who glared up at them before sweeping into a deep bow.

"At your service, milady," he said "Now, if you don't mind telling me your real names and why you are looking for me?"

"I'm Red and this is Belle," Red said. "We're emissaries of Prince James and Princess Snow White."

Robin raised an eyebrow. "You mean former prince and princess." Red nodded and he sighed. "Come along, then." He waved a hand for them to follow him into the forest so they dismounted, leading Philippe.

The blonde man fell into step beside Red. "I'm Allan-a-Dale, resident minstrel," he said, bowing his head to her.

"Nice to meet you, Allan-a-Dale," Belle said, bobbing in as much of a curtsey she could do in trousers while walking. "Thank you for telling us we were with Robin Hood the whole time."

Allan turned sheepish and looked down at his boots. "I didn't mean to ruin Robin's plan."

"We appreciate it," Red said.

"I don't," Robin muttered ahead of them.

Red exchanged a nervous glance with Belle that Allan must have seen, because he leaned over and whispered, "He's not normally so abrasive. He's just worried about Marian."

"Who?"

"His love," he said, frowning. "My songs clearly haven't made their way out of Sherwood."

"Oh, I'm sure they have," Belle said quickly. "Red and I just don't have much time for minstrels at the moment."

"There's always time for minstrels!" Allan said as they entered a ravine.

"You don't want to insult minstrels around Allan," a man with black hair said, coming up beside Allan. "I'm Robin's cousin. And my name is actually Scarlet," he said, smiling at Red. "Will Scarlet."

"Well met, Will," Belle said and Red smiled at him. As they followed Robin deeper into the forest, Allan began to whistle a haunting tune that seemed to echo around them, making Belle shiver and Red glance around warily.

* * *

"Come on," Ruby said, wrapping a scarf around Christy's neck before pulling her out. "We have the night off! Might as well enjoy it."

Christy laughed as Ruby linked arms with her and pulled her down main street, towards the woods, before the whole town shook and Ruby grabbed her shoulder and squeezed so hard it hurt and then it was over as suddenly as it began.

"What the hell was that?" Ruby said, staring at Christy.

"Earthquake?" Christy said, staring around at the other people on the street, who appeared just as shocked as she was. "Do we even get earthquakes in Maine?"

Ruby shrugged and they watched people running around for a minutes when Marco, the town's carpenter, walked past them quickly.

"Marco!" Christy called. "Where are you going?"

"I just got a call about a cave-in," he said, his Italian accent heavier than usual in his worry. "I was going to see if I could help anyone."

"We'll go with you," Christy said and they followed him to a spot just outside of town and on the edge of the forest. There was construction equipment strewn around and a crowd was already gathering. There was a hole in the earth, but it didn't appear to be a random collapse. Firemen were working to try to clear away jagged rocks as Regina pulled in, running out of her car.

"Everyone, step back please!" she yelled, pushing her way to the front of the crowd.

"Is that a crater?" Ruby said, staring at the hole.

"There were tunnels, old mines. Something collapsed," Marco said and Christy elbowed Ruby, nodding towards Graham walking up, followed by Emma.

"Sheriff, set up a police perimeter," Regina said. "Marco, why don't you help the fire department?" Marco ran off, anxious to help. "Miss Swan, this is now official town business, so you're free to go."

"Well, actually I work for the town now," Emma said and Ruby dug her elbow into Christy's side painfully, pointing towards the badge on Emma's hip. Christy tried not to grin as Regina looked up at Graham in horror.

"She's my new deputy," he said, eyes locked on Regina's. Christy had to stop herself from laughing at Emma's smirk.

"They say the mayor's always the last to know," Regina said, giving Graham such a poisonous look that a shiver went down Christy's spine for his sake.

"It's in my budget."

"Indeed," she hissed, eyes narrowed. "Deputy, why don't you make yourself useful and help with crowd control?"

Emma looked up at Graham, who nodded, before walking away to do as Regina said. The mayor gave him one last glare before turning to address the crowd. Graham let out a breath and cast Ruby and Christy a relieved glance, who both grinned at him.

"Way to stand up to the mayor," Ruby whispered.

He shook his head. "I'm not standing up to her. I have every right to hire a deputy."

"So you hire the woman she hates?" Ruby said, smirking. "You stood up to her."

Christy shushed them, still smiling as she tried to catch the last of Regina's speech.

"…bulldoze it, collapse it, pave it," Regina said, giving the crowd a toothless smile.

"Pave it?" Henry said, shoving his way to his mother. "What if there's something down there?" He looked horrified by her idea and when she leaned down to whisper to him, he glared at her.

She shooed everyone away, making Henry go to wait in her car. Christy ruffled his hair as she passed him and he gave her a miserable look before Ruby grabbed her arm and pulled her along to flirt with some firemen who were taking a break.

They stuck around until Graham and Emma were the only people left, ignoring Regina's looks cast at them and laughing at the glares she sent to Emma from where they were sitting on the ground with their backs to Graham's cruiser.

"What are you two still doing here?" Emma said, throwing herself on the ground next to Christy and passing a hand tiredly over her face.

"We wanted to congratulate you on getting the job," Christy said, grinning.

"And I wanted to get a fireman's phone number," Ruby said.

"Did you?" Emma asked, amused.

"I got three," Ruby said, flashing a toothy grin at Emma, who chuckled.

"Of course you did," Graham muttered, walking up to loom over them before sighing. "Granny would kill me if I didn't drive you home." He offered Emma a hand to help her up and missed the excited look Christy gave Ruby when he did so.

"I hate riding in the back," Ruby complained as she climbed into the cruiser. "I feel like I'm getting arrested."

"Well, the new deputy isn't going to ride in the back with me," Christy said, poking Ruby's side as Emma sat in the passenger seat and Graham started the car.

"Very true," Ruby said. "The new deputy can't be arrested on her first day as the new deputy."

Graham groaned. "I'm going to arrest you two if you keep this up." Emma laughed, twisting to look at them.

"We've been trying to convince him to hire a deputy for ages," Christy said.

"I see," Emma said, smiling as she faced forward again.

When Graham dropped them off, Christy got out of the car and leaned through the open window to kiss his cheek. "Thanks for the ride."

"Bugger off, Chris," he muttered, pushing her away from the car and driving away before Ruby could make her way to the window to kiss him too.

"Emma won't want to date him if we act so clingy around him all the time," Ruby said thoughtfully as they walked into the inn.

"It's not me," Christy said and Ruby snorted, following her down the stairs.

"Too bad you have to work for Gold tomorrow night," she sighed. "I'm going to need your help to get him to admit he likes her."

Christy giggled as she kicked off her shoes.

* * *

The group fell silent as they followed Robin through the high stone walls until they reached a dip in one of the cliffs that wasn't quite a cave but wasn't just an outcrop and was large enough to house a small camp beneath it.

"Home sweet home," Allan muttered under his breath as they walked under the rock.

"Tie your horse up over there," Robin said gruffly, pointing to a makeshift corral. When Belle returned from taking care of Philippe, he led Red and Belle to a fire pit with logs around it like benches. There were already three men sitting there who looked up as they approached. "Little John, Much, and Friar Tuck," Robin said, pointing to a giant of man with long, scraggly hair, a small, lean mean with suspicious eyes, and a cleric in turn. Belle's eyes narrowed as she stared at the cleric, but she sat down next to Red where Robin bid them all the same. "These two are Belle and Red, envoys of the fallen Prince James and Princess Snow White."

The three men appraised them as Will and Allan joined them around the fire.

"Welcome to our home," Friar Tuck said at last, smiling warmly. "I'm afraid it won't be what ladies like yourself are used to, especially since you're envoys of royalty."

Red smiled back at him, though Belle's stare remained hard and distrustful. "We're used to much worse, trust me." Friar Tuck tried to smile at Belle, but frowned as her eyes narrowed. Red gave her a look, but Belle just kept staring at the cleric, only looking away when Robin began to speak.

"So what do your prince and princess want?" Robin said, crouching in front of the fire and watching Belle and Red with eyes that clearly saw everything.

"Are you familiar with King George and Queen Regina?" Red said.

Robin snorted. "Tyrants, both of them. Much worse than our sheriff."

"Exactly," Red said, nodding. "James and Snow are trying to take the kingdoms back and—"

"It seems hopeless, at times," Belle said, cutting Red off. While Red was amazingly capable and brave, she was a commoner and had no notion of how to manipulate someone in court. However much he tried to hide it behind dirt and gruffness, Belle could see the nobility in how Robin Hood carried himself. He had been raised in the same world as she and this request would require all of Belle's courtly charms. "We're a team of disgraced knights, peasants turned militia men, princesses turned thieves, but we truly are the best of the best are determined to do whatever it takes to save the people of the kingdom, which is—"

"Which is why you've come to ask the infamous Robin Hood for help," Robin said, smiling. "Milady, I am not so out of touch that I can't tell when someone is trying to gave my favor through flattery." Belle paused, lips parted as she tried to think of something to say, and he laughed. "So now the question is who are you? Not just some envoy of James and Snow, I think." His eyes raked over her, taking in every detail, but Belle didn't feel violated like she did when men in taverns did the same. He wasn't examining her body but rather what her body said about her history, and she saw his eyes linger on the golden embroidery in her vest before his jaw dropped and looked back at her eyes. "Belle of the Marchlands." When she didn't deny it, he let out a low whistle. "What I've heard about you, Princess."

Belle stiffened. "And what have you heard of me, Robin Hood?"

"I heard that Princess Belle was a woman who cared so deeply about her people that she gave her whole future away to the Dark One to stop a curse from striking them out of our world," Robin said, watching her as he spoke. Belle could feel Red's eyes on her, though she kept her own fixed on Robin. "Your father declared you dead."

"He wasn't a fan of the way I dissolved my deal," Belle said quietly, ignoring Red.

"And how did you manage that?" Robin said. "No one breaks a deal with the Dark One."

"I didn't break my deal," Belle said. "I made a new one, one that is between Rumplestiltskin and myself." Robin sat back on his heels, frowning at her. "We're not here to discuss me, however. Will you help us?"

"No," Robin said, still watching her.

"No!" Red said, abandoning her apparent attempt to read Belle's mind by staring at her to turn her eyes towards Robin. "Please! We need your help!"

He shook his head. "I have my own people to worry about. I can't abandon them to Nottingham to run off to help some disgruntled royalty who don't have a chance anyway." Red opened her mouth to argue more, but he held a hand up and glared at her. "You are both welcome to stay here for a few days to rest before your return journey, but no more."

Robin looked away from them then, into camp, and his whole face lit up. Belle and Red glanced in the direction he was now walking in and saw him heading towards a pretty woman with brown hair pulled back, a scar going down her cheek, and in clothes meant for fighting. When he reached her, he took her face in his hands and murmured something that made her laugh before she stood on her tiptoes to kiss him.

"That's Marian," Allan said.

"I figured," Belle said, smiling at the couple reuniting before sighing and turning away from them. Red was still watching with a pained expression and ignored Belle's questioning look.

"Have you two ever been in love before?" Allan said, drawing both women's attention towards him again. He was leaning towards them with eyes alight with hope.

"Once," Red whispered, looking into the fire. When Allan and Belle stayed silent, she cast them a glare. "You're not getting a story out of me, if that's what you're after."

Belle reached out to squeeze Red's hand and was surprised when she clung to it. Allan turned his gaze onto Belle and she smiled. "Twice, but I'm not telling my story either."

Allan huffed and leaned back, crossing his eyes. "You two are no fun, especially since I can tell you both have wonderful tales to share." He wagged his finger at them accusingly.

"Not wonderful," Red muttered under her breath. Belle gave her hand another squeeze before staring into the fire.

" _Have you been in love before?"_

" _What?" Belle asked, looking up at Rumplestiltskin in surprise. They were in his tower, where he could work on his potions and she could sit by the fireplace and read._

" _Have you been in love before?" he said again, glancing at her before pretending to focus on his potion._

" _You know we have true love, Rumple. How could I have been in love before?" she asked, frowning at him._

_He giggled and put the potion down, leaning against the table and fixing his eyes on her. "Everybody has their one true love, m'dear, but there are others that they can love and can be happy with. That's what makes true love so powerful—not everyone will find it and most people won't even realize that they don't have it. You could easily have loved another before me, and should you decide to leave, you could love another after me."_

" _But never as much as I love you," she said, earning a small smile from him._

" _No," he murmured. "Never as much as your true love."_

" _Have you been in love before?" she said and he laughed again._

" _No."_

" _You were married."_

" _I thought I loved her. I was wrong," he said, turning back to his potion._

_She frowned, tucking some of her hair behind her ear. "So you're telling me that in three hundred years, you've only been in love once?"_

" _Yes," he said, avoiding her eyes._

" _Rumple…" she stood up and walked over to him, trying to catch his eye. "Are you telling me the truth?"_

_He glanced at her, frowning. "No." He sighed. "I wish I had never loved her."_

" _You can't change the past and besides, it's what makes you you."_

_He nodded before turning his gaze back on her, sweeping away the emotions playing across his face and smirking. "I believe I asked you a question first."_

_She laughed. "I have loved another man."_

_His expression was unreadable, but he peered at her curiously. "Who was he?"_

" _One of my father's knights," Belle said, setting her book on his table. "Not a high ranking one like Gaston, but he was a good man."_

" _Was? What happened to him?"_

" _He died," she said, frowning into the fire. "He was one of the first to volunteer for the Ogre War. He was always too anxious to prove himself and he thought that if he came back a war hero, my father would let him marry me despite his rank."_

" _Bravery can be a curse."_

_She looked at him as he moved to the other side of the table, putting it between them like it would protect him. "I know. Look where's landed me," she said, gesturing to the tower. His lips twitched upwards but then he frowned down at his potions. "Rumple? What's wrong?"_

" _I was just wondering what your knight would say if he saw you now," he said, imitating her and waving around at the tower. "In love with the Dark One and in the heart of his lair."_

_They both frowned at each other for a moment before Belle said, "He would have wanted me to be happy, no matter what that meant. I don't think he would have been that shocked though. He always knew I was a bit odd."_

" _Not odd," he said, shaking his head. "Special."_

" _Special," Belle corrected, smiling._

_Rumplestiltskin gave her another strange look. "What was his name?"_

" _Simeon. Simeon of Avonlea."_

_He made an interested noise in the back of his throat and returned to his potions, leaving Belle to watch him before returning to her chair and her book._

* * *

"Do you think they'll be okay?" Christy said, biting her lip. She was sitting on the ground next to Ruby, who was holding Pongo's leash and watching the rescue crew trying to find a way into the mines to get Henry and Archie out.

Ruby shrugged and patted the Dalmatian's head when he started to bark. When the earth shook again, she pulled Pongo towards her to soothe him. He kept barking, even as Regina and Emma argued about whose fault it was that Henry was trapped and Ruby petted him. Graham sent a helpless look to Christy, who grimaced.

When it seemed that Emma and Regina had reached a truce, Christy stood up and walked over to them. "Excuse me?" They both turned and stared at her, Emma curious and Regina annoyed. "Henry's a smart kid. Overly imaginative, sure, but clever. He'll be fine." She gave them a small smile and was surprised when both of them returned it with matching pained smiles that were more like grimaces.

"Thanks, Christy," Emma muttered.

"We need a way to punch through the ground," Regina said, looking back to Emma. "We need something big."

"Like what?" Emma said.

"Explosives." All three women turned to stare at Marco, who was standing next to a worried Graham. Emma and Graham exchanged a look before going to help the rescue workers set up explosives, leaving Christy with Regina.

Christy pursed her lips and stared at the ground, mumbling an excuse and turning away.

"Miss French?" She looked up at Regina, who was staring at her with wet eyes. "Thank you, for what you said."

"We all like your son, Mayor Mills," she said, thinking  _even if we don't like you_. "We don't want anything to happen to him either."

Regina nodded before walking away to check on Graham's progress. Christy frowned, watching her leave, and wondered if she was really so bad as they all thought. She might be nasty and harsh, but sometimes she acted more like an abused dog than a poisonous snake, and as she supervised Graham's supervision, she seemed like Pongo, anxious to get to the most important person in her life.

Graham and Emma began to move everyone behind the caution tape and once they were all huddled behind cars, Regina said, "Blow it." A workman pressed a big red button and there was an explosion of rock and dust and metal, which didn't even phase Emma as she sprinted straight into the cloud as soon as the blasts were over, not waiting for Graham or Regina or an all clear in her desperation to see if the path to Henry was open. Ruby leaned against a police barrier, trying to peer through the dust as Christy walked back towards the truck Pongo was barking from.

Regina watched anxiously, waiting for Emma to emerge, and when she did, Regina called out, "Did it work?"

"It didn't open," Emma panted.

"Then what did it do?" Graham said, his jaw set as he looked at a frozen Regina.

* * *

"So you're the royal ambassadors." Belle started out of her thoughts and looked up at the woman Robin had been embracing. Like him, she carried an air of nobility, but none of the arrogance that tended to find its way into the upper class. Belle stood up and bobbed a small curtsey and she laughed, waving her hands to stop Red from following her friend's lead and to make Belle sit back down. "I'm Marian."

"This is Red and I'm Belle."

"The princess," she said, smiling when Belle nodded before looking to Red. "And the…?"

"Peasant," Red said. "And friend."

"Well met," Marian said, her brown eyes twinkling. "I'm sorry we can't help you, but I hope you have a restful stay." After Belle and Red thanked her, she glanced at Allan and gestured for him to follow her. They left, leaving the two women alone, and Red turned on Belle.

"The princess who traded her future away to the Dark One?" Red hissed. Belle avoided her friend's eye, although she knew that she couldn't get away with waving off the situation. She was going to have to tell Red something, but other than the impossible truth, she had no idea what to say.

* * *

Christy leaned against the firetruck, absentmindedly reaching through the window to pet Pongo and try to get him to stop barking, but to no success—she didn't have a sixth sense with dogs like Ruby, who was practically the dog whisperer—while Regina ran around yelling at people. Emma tried to calm her down before noticing Pongo and running over to Christy.

"Has he been barking the entire time?" Emma said.

"No," Christy shook her head. "He started before the explosion."

Emma almost smiled before grabbing the handle and wrenching the door open. "Come on, boy." She slapped her thigh and followed Pongo as he ran towards some grass, Christy close behind her. "It's Archie's dog. He's found something!" she called to Graham as Pongo started whining, sniffing at a patch of grass. "This is where they must be! Good boy."

Christy grabbed Pongo's collar and pulled him back as Graham, Marco, and Emma lifted a sheet of metal that was covered in debris, revealing a metal grill.

"What is that?" Christy said, struggling to hold the dog away.

"It's an air shaft," Graham said.

Suddenly, the crowd exploded in activity, trying to find a tow truck to lift the grill and a person who could operate it. In the end, one belonging to the fire department was procured with Ruby in the driver's seat, leaning out the window to watch as the metal was lifted out of the ground. Graham, Emma, and Regina peered down the dark tunnel that seemed to have no end.

"So what next?" Regina said.

Marco stepped up and tugged at the hook of the tow truck. Christy moved to lean against the driver's door with Pongo and Ruby.

"We need to lower someone straight down or the line will collapse the sides of the shaft," Marco said.

"I've got a harness," Graham said as he walked up.

"Lower me down," Regina said and Graham paused, looking at her.

"Oh, no way. You're not going," Emma said, stepping forward and straightening her jacket.

"He's my son," Regina said, staring at Emma like her hair had suddenly turned pink.

Emma shifted uncomfortably and sighed. "He's my son too. You've been sitting behind a desk for ten years. I can do this."

Regina stepped forward and stared straight into Emma's eyes. "Just bring him to me." Emma gave her a small smile before turning to Graham to put on the harness and hook herself up to the truck.

As Christy watched Emma being lowered down into the shaft, she dug the nails of the hand that wasn't holding Pongo into her forearm. When they heard Emma and Henry's voices shouting "ARCHIE" echoing out of the shaft, she dug in hard enough to draw blood and only released her hold when all three were back on solid ground.

* * *

"Belle," Red growled.

Belle's nose wrinkled. "Robin doesn't know the whole story, but essentially, yes, I gave everything up to Rumplestiltskin."

"By all means, tell me the whole story."

Belle sighed. "His version wasn't entirely correct. It wasn't to save the Marchlands from a curse but the ogres. We had called on everyone we could think of for help but no one was answering, so we called Rumplestiltskin. The duchy Avonlea had just fallen and all hope was lost when he arrived. His price for ending the war was me." Red's jaw dropped and Belle chuckled. "It wasn't so bad as you might think. He needed someone to clean and cook for him and he didn't mistreat me. He was almost like a friend," Belle said, choosing her words carefully and watching Red's face for how she took them.

Red scoffed and shook her head. "You are a mystery, Belle. You have a mysterious and rich true love who taught you how to use a sword and you are the Dark One's former maid who claims he was 'almost like a friend.'" Belle laughed. "So what was your second deal?"

Belle stopped laughing and looked at Red sharply. "Part of it was not telling anyone the details."

Belle relaxed when Red nodded, though she didn't look entirely statisfied, and wasn't able to say anything else as Allan came running back to them.

"I'm about to sing some songs," he said, jerking his head toward the center of camp. "I would love it if you two came." Although he spoke to both of them, he had his eyes on Belle.

"We'd like that," Red said and his eyes flicked to her before coming back to Belle. He smiled before running away again. Red laughed. "Should we tell him he doesn't have a chance with you?"

Belle grimaced. "That's not what he's af—"

"Belle, are you coming?" Allan yelled from behind them and Belle winced.

"I should probably tell him," she muttered as they stood up to follow him and Red laughed.

"Or you could use your womanly ways to get him to convince Robin to help us," she said, winking.

Belle glared at her. "Snow will have to understand why we didn't get Robin's help if it comes to that."

Red laughed again and grabbed Belle's hand, pulling her towards the center of camp.

* * *

"I'm off for the night," Ruby said, coming out of the diner's backroom where she had changed out of her diner clothes and into a clingy red and black dress. It had been a week since Henry got trapped in the mines, and the town had moved on, even if Christy was still cleaning up the mess the earthquake made of Mr. Gold's shop. "I'll see you tomorrow morning."

"Be safe," Christy said, frowning at Ruby's back.

She threw a grin over her shoulder at Christy as she opened the door, running right into Mr. Gold as he tried to walk in. "I'm sorry," Ruby said, staring at him. He gave her a scathing look and stepped past her, walking to the booth farthest from the door. Christy gave Ruby a shocked look and the latter mouthed "good luck" before slipping out the door.

Christy wrinkled her nose and grabbed a menu.

"I can't think of the last time I saw you in here," she said as she handed it to Mr. Gold.

He shrugged. "I'm not sure if I have been here before."

"Really?" Christy said, laughing in disbelief. "Why come in now?"

He gave her an odd look before sighing, fingering the newspaper he had brought with him. "I worked late and didn't particularly want to make my own dinner." She smiled at him and he paused as if he wanted to say something when the door opened and Graham trudged in, slumping into a barstool.

She looked back at Mr. Gold. "Well, welcome to Granny's diner then. Let me know where you're ready to order."

She left him with his menu and walked behind the counter. "What d'you want, Graham?"

He lifted his head and growled, "Whiskey."

She frowned at him as she poured a shot before Mr. Gold waved her over. After putting in his order for a hamburger, she returned to Graham. "Spill."

He held out his now-empty shotglass for her to refill. She smiled at Leroy as he left, Graham swirling the drink around in his glass. He glanced up at her watching him, downed the shot, and ran a hand through his hair.

"Emma saw me leaving Regina's tonight."

"Let me guess," Christy said dryly. "She thought you were working at the animal shelter."

Graham blinked at her. "How did you know that?"

"Because that's the excuse you always use," she said, rolling her eyes before sighing and leaning forward against the counter. "I think the real question is why do you care if Emma knows?"

"I don't want her to think…" Graham trailed off, frowning at the counter.

"You don't want her to think that you're sleeping with Regina?" Christy said. "Why? That's exactly what you're doing."

"I don't want her to think less of me," he muttered.

"Why? Why do you care what she thinks?" When he stayed silent, Christy pressed on. "You need to take a good long look at your feelings, Graham, and especially your feelings towards Regina and Emma."

He gave her a hard glare before standing up, throwing some money on the counter, and stalking out without a word.

"Graham! GRAHAM," she yelled after him and groaned when the door swung shut behind him. She folded her arms on the counter and put her own head on them.

"Order up!"

Christy looked over at the kitchen where a burger was sitting in the window before walking over to grab it and slide it in front of Mr. Gold.

"You look like you could use someone to vent to," he said as she began to turn away. Glancing around the diner, she saw that was just Mr. Gold, the cook in the kitchen, and her. Graham's shot was still on the counter and she shrugged, sitting across from him. She watched him put ketchup on his burger before noticing that he was staring at her expectantly. "My ears are all yours, Christy."

She rubbed her eye tiredly. "My two best friends are in toxic relationships and refuse to acknowledge it."

"The sheriff and the mayor," he said, poking at his fries. She nodded.

"And Ruby and her parade of useless idiots," Christy said, putting her chin in her hand. "I wouldn't care if he wanted to have a secret affair with Regina and she wanted to sleep around if they were happy about it, but they're both miserable and can't even admit it to themselves."

He stayed silent for a long moment before looking up at her, staring so intently at her eyes that she couldn't look away from his. "And you, Miss French? Are you miserable too?"

She laughed. "I didn't exactly spend college dreaming of being stuck in Storybrooke working at the diner. It's not like I had a choice about that though, thanks to my dad."

They fell silent as he ate his burger and she stared at her hands. She could tell he was trying to think of something to say, but didn't know, and for that she was glad. She didn't want advice from Mr. Gold and she didn't want to be reduced to going to him for it. When he finished eating, she took his plate and stood up.

"That's a lovely ring," he murmured, gesturing to the wide band of woven gold on the middle finger of her left hand.

"Thank you," she said. "You know, I can't even remember getting it."

"How odd," he said, following her to the counter to pay. After handing her some bills, he caught her eye. "Things are changing, Christy. Don't give up hope."

She furrowed her brow as she stared at him and he gave her a small smile before walking out, leaving her confused and with an empty diner.


	6. Chapter 6

Graham drank two shots of whiskey before grabbing some darts and heading over to the dartboard. Christy paused from wiping down the counter, watching as he threw the dart right at the bulls-eye where a picture of a deer had been taped for as long as she could remember.

"Nice shot, chief," Sidney said. "Bet you twenty bucks you can't do it again."

Graham just stared at him before taking another shot from Ruby and turning back to the dartboard, hitting the deer perfectly again.

"Next round's on him," he said before freezing as Emma walked in the side door. She narrowed her eyes at him.

"Emma! What can I get you?" Ruby said, popping her hip out.

"Nothing." Emma said, walking briskly past Ruby and Graham to the front door. Just as she was about to open the door to leave, Graham threw a dart at door pane, causing Christy to jump and Emma to whirl around, furious. "What the hell? You could've hit me!"

"I never miss," Graham said, walking towards her.

When Emma raised her eyebrows, Christy said, "He's right." Emma rolled her eyes.

"You've been avoiding me since last night when you saw me—" Graham said.

"Leaving the mayor? And yes, that is a euphemism," she said. "I'm not avoiding you, Graham. I just have no interest in having this conversation. It's your life and I really don't care." Turning on her heel, Emma stormed out, Graham following after throwing a look at Christy and Ruby, who were standing behind the counter together.

"It doesn't sound like she doesn't care," Ruby muttered to Christy as she got another beer for Sidney.

* * *

"…and then Marian tore off her veil and ran out of the church as fast as she could to leap onto the back of Robin's horse. She threw her bouquet behind her and it hit Guy of Gisborne right in the face where he was left standing at the altar, watching as the woman he tricked into marrying him rode off into the sunset with her true love."

Belle applauded Allan as he finished his story, smiling as Red and Will laughed at it. He bowed deeply to Belle and shot the other two a glare.

"You made that so much more theatrical than it actually was!" Will said, still laughing at Allan. "I hope Robin never hears your version."

Belle laughed, smiling at Red. They had spent the last few days with the Merry Men, helping them when they could and avoiding Robin's suspicious glances. Marian seemed amused by their attempts to gain favor among the men, but the only ones who seemed taken with them were Allan and Will. When Marian and Little John had taken a small group out to raid one of the sheriff's strongholds, Allan and Will joined Belle and Red for the day.

"Belle, do you still want to learn knife throwing?" Will asked, looking up at her from where he was lying on his side on the ground.

"Yes!" Belle said, jumping up and reaching a hand down to pull Will up with her.

He led her down the ravine to a small cluster of trees that were scarred and gouged as if used for target practice before.

"Show me what knives you have," he said, kneeling in front of her and gesturing for her to lay her blades on the ground between them.

When Belle unsheathed the dagger that was strapped at her hip and put on the ground, he nodded approvingly. As she pulled another one out from each of her boots, a handful of short blades from up her sleeves, and a tiny dagger from between down her blouse, he began to laugh.

"You don't even know how to wield them and you have knives hidden all over!"

"I like to be prepared," Belle snapped defensively.

"Of course," Will said, still snickering.

They spent the rest of the afternoon working on Belle's form until she was able to hit the tree in front of her in roughly the same area Will had pointed out to her.

"You're a fast learner," he said as it began to get dark and she put her daggers back where she had them hidden before their lesson.

"I need to be," she said, smiling.

" _Again."_

_Belle sighed and looking up at the scaly hand extended towards her before grasping it and allowing_ _Rumplestiltskin to pull her back up._

" _What's the matter?" he said, watching as she leaned down to scoop up the sword from where it flew when he disarmed her._

" _I'm terrible at this," she growled and he laughed, stopping as soon as she glared at him._

" _M'dear, you've spent your life in a library and a War Room. You've always used your brain," he said, brushing his hand against her arm. "You need to get used to using your body as well. I'm actually surprised at how well you're doing already." She glared at him again and he raised his eyebrows. "You can't expect to be good at everything the first time you try, Belle."_

_She grumbled and he laughed again. "Remember how long it took you to get the hang of cooking? And now think about how good you are at it!"_

_She smiled before plopping on the ground at his feet. "I just want to know how to defend myself so I can start to travel."_

" _Anxious to leave the beast's lair," he murmured, crouching next to her._

" _Anxious to see the world," she snapped, glaring at him until he gave her a sheepish look. "Not anxious to leave you, Rumple. Never that."_

" _Of course, m'dear," he said, smiling at her before standing and offering her his hand. "Ready to try again?"_

_She managed to grin as she grabbed it and pulled herself up. "Ready."_

* * *

Graham slumped back into the dinner wide-eyed after chasing Emma and stared at Christy like he had never seen her before.

"Graham?" she said, watching as he just stood in the doorway, staring at her. Ruby stopping wiping tables and walked over to her. "Are you alright?" He stepped closer to her, mouth opening and closing. She raised her eyebrows. "How much did you drink, hun?"

"I kissed Emma."

"Wow," Ruby said, a big grin chasing away her worry. "Way to step up like a man!"

Christy rolled her eyes but smiled, though it disappeared when Graham shook his head frantically. "I kissed her and I had this flashing vision of a wolf and—and—" He screwed his eyes shut and began to rub his temples.

"What did she say?" Ruby said, her smile fading.

"She didn't want me to kiss her," Graham said, his eyes still shut. "But I saw the wolf…" His eyes flew open and he spun on his heel to leave again. "I need to see Regina."

"No!" Christy yelled, darting forward and grabbing his elbow. "Graham, you're finally doing something you want to do. Don't go crawling back to her!"

He only shook his head and stormed out again, leaving Christy and Ruby staring after him.

The next morning, Graham came into the diner before dawn and even Ruby's arrival. Christy looked up from refilling the salt and pepper shakers when he walked in, frowning at his ruffled appearance.

"How hungover are you?"

He laughed shakily before stepping forward and grasping the top of her arms. "Christy, I'm going crazy," he whispered, eyes bigger than she'd ever seen.

"Graham, what happened?" She pulled his arms away from her, made him sit down, and returned with a cup of coffee. "Tell me," she said, putting a hand on his arm and squeezing it.

"The wolf I saw when I kissed Emma?" he said as more of a question than a comment and she nodded. "I had a dream about it at Regina's but it didn't feel like a dream. It felt like a memory." Christy stared at him and he sighed, staring into his coffee. "And now you think I'm crazy."

"No," Christy said, her brow furrowed. "I… I know the feeling." Graham looked up at her and she took a deep breath. "I've been having this recurring dream about a spinning wheel. I don't know who's spinning it, but I know I love sitting there, just watching him spin and listening to its creaking. It feels so  _real_."

Graham nodded, leaning forward, his eyes wild. "Exactly. But I actually saw the wolf in my dreams."

"What?" Christy breathed, leaning across the table as well until their faces were inches apart.

"When I left Regina's, it came up to me as I was unlocking my car," Graham said, grabbing her hands and squeezing so hard it hurt.

"What did it do?"

"Nothing," he said, gazing out the front windows behind her. "It just sort of whined and ran away."

"Oh my god," Christy said, her jaw hanging open. "What did it look like?"

"It—" Graham froze, eyes fixed at a spot above her shoulders before lifting a shaking finger and pointing. "Like that."

Christy shivered before spinning in her seat and gasping at the sight of a large white wolf with one red eye and one jet black staring in the diner windows straight at Graham, who stood up and rushed towards the door.

"Graham, where are you going?" she shrieked, standing up and watching the wolf trot away before glancing over its shoulder as if to check that Graham was following it.

"I have to go with it," he growled. "I just know somehow." He looked right at her in a way that seemed to go straight to her soul. "It's what you would do if a spinning wheel suddenly appeared."

Unable to disagree, Christy gnawed her lip as she watched her best friend run after a wolf.

* * *

Belle, Red, Will, and Allan walked back to camp together from Belle's lesson, Allan casting her glances that he thought were discreet and Belle pointedly ignoring them. They got back to camp and greeted Robin just before Little John charged in with a few men behind him, returning from their raid.

"Robin!" Little John yelled, running straight to him. "The sheriff captured Marian!"

It seemed as if the whole camp froze, everyone with their eyes on Robin, waiting for instructions. He was frozen as well though, eyes wide with terror and breathing heavy.

"What?" he managed to choke out, staring at Little John.

"The sheriff knew we were coming somehow," Little John said, still trying to catch his breath. "We barely escaped, but he's taking her back to Nottingham."

"Then we rescue her," Robin growled, slinging his bow over his shoulder.

"Robin, he has more men than ever before," Little John said, shaking his head and putting his hand on Robin's chest to stop him from storming off. "What we've done in the past won't work this time."

Robin seemed to shrink in front of them when his plan was destroyed. Casting his eyes around desperately, they landed on Belle and he stepped forward to grasp her arm so tight it hurt.

"Would Rumplestiltskin help us?" he whispered, his breath hot on her face as he leaned towards her, eyes wild.

"What?" she said, surprised

"You worked for him!" he yelled, shaking her. "Would Rumplestiltskin help us?"

"Only if you have something he wants," Belle said, trying to keep her voice steady. "Red and I will help you."

Robin released her and stalked back towards the fire. "Do I have something Rumplestiltskin would want?" he snarled, glaring over his shoulder at her.

"I don't know, dearie," Rumplestiltskin's voice came from the shadows past the light of the fire. He stepped into the light, smirking and glittering, dark eyes fixed on Robin. "Why don't we find out?"

* * *

It was in the afternoon when Graham returned to the diner, looking even messier than that morning with some leaves in his hair and heavy bags under his eyes.

"Can you take your break?" he whispered to Christy, catching her by the wrist as she walked to the kitchen to put Kathryn Nolan's order. She nodded, asked Ruby to cover her, and followed him into the side-yard.

She watched him shuffle from foot to foot and kick the ground with his toe before sighing. "Why is it always impossible to get information out of you?"

Graham smiled up at her briefly before his expression became confused. "I followed the wolf into the woods." Christy's jaw fell open and he raised his hand to stop her from talking. "Don't tell me how stupid I am. It didn't do any harm. I whistled and it came running up to me."

"Like a dog?" she said, incredulous.

"Exactly like a dog," he murmured. "It let me pet it, and when I touched it, I had another vision, but in this one I was going to kill someone who looked exactly like Mary Margaret, just younger and with long hair." Christy slumped against the wall, trying to process what he just told her, and he leaned next to her. "I went to talk to Mary Margaret and she said I was talking to Henry too much."

"You mean about his fairytale book?" she said, watching a bead of sweat roll down his cheek.

"Yeah," he said, wiping his forehead. "Chris, I don't know what to do." He looked at her with big brown eyes that seemed so lost and she leaned over and rested her head on his shoulder, wrapping her arms around him. "What do I do?"

"I think we should go talk to Henry," she mumbled into his chest as he hugged her back.

* * *

Red gasped and clutched Belle's arm as Rumplestiltskin lazily glanced around the camp until his eyes fixed on her and widened.

"Belle?" he gasped and Red's fingers clenched around Belle. "What are you doing here?"

Belle shrugged and smiled slightly. "This and that."

Rumplestiltskin pursed his lips at her before turning his attention back to Robin. "So you want me to rescue your little love?" he said, waving his hands. Robin nodded and Rumplestiltskin giggled. "What are you willing to give up, dearie?"

"Anything," Robin growled.

"Hmm," Rumplestiltskin murmured, sneering as he walked in a circle around Robin, who turned on the spot to keep his eyes on him. "What to charge, what to charge."

"Robin," Belle said, stepping forward as they both turned their gaze on her. "You don't need to make a deal with him. Red and I have done raids like this before. Let us help you, and if we can't do it, well, then we have a solid backup plan." She gestured to Rumplestiltskin, who placed his hand on his chest, offended.

"I'm just a backup plan, m'dear?" he said, shooting her a glare. Belle suppressed a smirk at his childlike expression.

Robin stared at her as she stepped forward and placed a hand on his shoulder. "We will get Marian back," she whispered.

Robin closed his eyes before nodding and looking at Rumplestiltskin. "Your services are no longer required."

Rumplestiltskin giggled again. "Your loss." He looked at Belle and raised his eyebrows. "Could I have a word, dearie?" Without waiting for her reply, he strolled away from camp and down the ravine.

Red darted forward and grabbed Belle's arm. "You can't go with him alone," she hissed.

Belle gently extracted herself from Red's grip. "I can handle him, Red. You forget that I lived alone with the man for months." She smiled reassuringly at her friend before walking after Rumplestiltskin, who had paused to wait for her, watching her like a hawk.

* * *

Christy fidgeted nervously on the front porch of the mayor's house. Graham had convinced Granny to let her leave work on "police business," but she wasn't happy about going into Regina's house.

"This was your idea," Graham muttered as he rang the doorbell.

She shrugged as Henry opened the door and cocked his head, looking up at them.

"Hey, Sheriff. Hi, Christy." She smiled down at him. "My mom's not here."

"Actually," Graham said, glancing at Christy. "We're here to see you, Henry. I was hoping you could help me."

"Help you with what?" Henry said, frowning.

"It's about your book," Graham said and Henry perked up, staring at him intently. "Am I… in it?"

Henry laughed. "Everyone is in it."

"Who am I?" Graham said, watching Henry as if his life depended on it, and Christy bit her lip.

Henry frowned again, glancing between her and Graham before motioning for them to come inside and leading them upstairs into his bedroom. Graham followed doggedly, not even sparing a glance around him, but Christy shivered at the cold décor Regina clearly favored.

Once in Henry's room, which was the only room that felt comfortable to her, he pulled out his storybook and flipped it open to a page with a drawing of a doe on it, gesturing for Graham and Christy to sit on the bed with him.

"Why do you want to know about who you really are?" Henry said, narrowing his eyes as he watched Graham settle next to him.

"I've been having these flashes of visions or something that seem like they're memories," Graham said, frowning as Henry lit up with excitement.

"When did your flashes begin?" Henry said, looking wise beyond his ten years.

"Right after I kissed Emma," Graham said and Henry pulled a face.

"You kissed my mom?!" Christy snickered and Graham gave him a look before Henry returned his attention back to the book. "What did you see?"

"A wolf," Graham said and Henry lifted his head thoughtfully. "I saw that I had a knife in my hand and I was with Mary Margaret."

"Were you about it hurt her?" Henry said, seeming far too excited by the prospect of his teacher being hurt.

"Yes!" Graham said, shocked, and both he and Christy stared at Henry with even more attentiveness than before. "How do you know that?"

"Because Mary Margaret is Snow White, which makes you the Huntsman" Henry said, ruffling through pages in the book to stop on a page with a drawing of a man with holding a dagger in front of his face but with the same hair as Graham.

"So you really think that I could be another person?"

"Makes total sense," Henry said like it was obvious. "You were raised by wolves—that's why you keep seeing one. It's your friend, your guide. It's trying to help you."

Graham stared at Henry and when it became clear he was too surprised to say anything, Christy leaned forward and peered at Henry. "Who am I in the book?"

"You're Belle," he said, smiling before flipping to a page with a drawing of a brunette woman in a golden gown.

"Like Beauty and the Beast?" Christy said, laughing.

"Yep," Henry said, smiling at her. "Except the beast isn't hairy like in the movie. He's Rumplestiltskin, so he has scales."

Christy laughed again. "Rumplestiltskin? Like the guy who spins—" She froze, her eyes going wide. "The guy who spins… straw… into gold?"

"Yeah," Henry said, turning the page and showing her a picture of a strange looking man sitting at a spinning wheel. Christy turned and stared at Graham, her eyes as wide as his. They both ignored Henry's questions about what was wrong as they sat in their shock before Christy managed to look at him again.

"Who is Rumplestiltskin?" she whispered.

Henry shrugged. "I haven't figured that out yet." He narrowed his eyes and leaned in towards her. "Are you in love with anyone?" Christy tried to laugh but just made a dry choking sound and settled with just shaking her head. "Hmm," Henry murmured before Graham shook his head and turned back to Henry, asking him more about his own story. Christy barely heard what Henry said because he couldn't stop thinking about how the spinning wheel in the picture looked exactly like the one in her dreams.

When they left and walked towards Graham's car, they were both silent, trying to process what Henry had told them.

"Hey!" They both looked up to see Emma getting out of her bug and walking over to them. "I hear you're having a rough day," she said, watching Graham.

"I'm going to walk home," Christy muttered, and Graham wrapped an arm around her shoulders in a half-hug.

"Thanks for coming with me, Chris," he said. She smiled at him before turning and walking away, leaving him to talk with Emma.

* * *

When Rumplestiltskin saw Belle following him, he led her around a bend in the ravine that was out of sight from the camp.

Once she was standing close to him, he grasped her upper arm and drew her close to her. "What are you playing at, Belle?"

"Helping a man get his true love back after she's been captured by his sworn enemy?" Belle said, smirking when Rumplestiltskin paused, frowning down at her.

"I wanted the archer in my debt," he hissed.

"You don't need him to get your curse cast, but I need him to overthrow Regina."

"So that's why you're here." Understanding crossed his face, though he didn't look any happier for it. "Belle, the sheriff is a dangerous man."

"I'll be careful," Belle murmured, looking up at Rumplestiltskin. He was close enough to kiss.

He sighed and pressed his forehead against hers, closing his eyes. His rough skin scraped against hers as her hands clasped the front of his dragonhide jacket and pulled him even closer. "You'll never let me stop worrying about you, will you?"

Belle giggled. "I think you secretly like that about me." He snorted but didn't deny it.

They stayed like that for a few moments before Belle pulled away, smiling up at him. "I need to get back before Red decides that you ate me," she whispered.

He giggled. "I'm tempted to." Belle rolled her eyes and stood on her toes to kiss his cheek.

He watched as she walked away. "Belle?" She paused and glanced back at him. "Do you still have your protection ring?"

She smiled and pulled off her left glove, showing him the gold band hidden underneath it. "I'll call on you if I need help, Rumple."

He nodded, giving her a tight-lipped smile that she returned before walked back to camp.

* * *

"Hi, Graham!" Christy said later that evening, picking up her cell phone as she lay on the couch in the apartment, one of her old textbooks open to the chapter detailing the history behind the Beauty and the Beast story lying open on her lap. "How are you doing?

"Christy, listen to me carefully. Do you understand?" he said quickly, ignoring her question.

She sat up and moved the textbook onto the coffee table. "Yeah? What's going on?"

"I remember who I am, Chris. Emma helped me and now I remember," Graham said, sounding happier than she had ever heard him.

"Like… you remember being the Huntsman?" she stammered.

"Just listen to me, alright? Mr. Gold told me earlier that dreams are memories of another life. Remember that. Hold onto that and every time something happens that seems impossible, remember it."

"What?" Christy frowned, wishing she could see his expression. "When did you talk to Mr. Gold?"

"Chris! That's not the point! What do you need to remember? Tell me!" he shouted into the phone.

"Dreams are memories of another life, but why—"

"I'll explain everything tomorrow, okay? I promise I will. I need to go now. I'll call you later."

"What? Graham?" Christy pulled her phone away from her ear at the sound of Graham hanging up and stared at it in confusion.

Christy shook her head and looked at her textbook, still open to what was apparently her story even though none of it was even slightly possible. She leaned over and slammed the book shut before retreating to her bedroom to watch  _Snow White_  on her outdated laptop and see who the Huntsman really was since there was no way he could be Graham.

* * *

The camp was silent when she returned, everyone sitting around the fire except for Robin, Red, and Allan. Robin and Red were pacing anxiously and Allan was standing perfectly still, staring in the direction Belle had walked off in. When she reappeared, he cried her name, causing everyone else to look at her. Red ran to her with a supernatural speed and threw her arms around Belle, squeezing hard.

"Are you alright?" Red said, pulling away and examining Belle.

"Yes," she said, smiling at Red. "I told you I would be find with him and I was."

"You are either the bravest person I've ever met or the stupidest," Robin said, joining them and also looking Belle up and down.

"Rumplestiltskin told me that same thing once," she said dryly.

"What did he want?" Red said, holding onto Belle's hand and leading her back to the fire.

"To check on the terms of our deal," Belle said before turning to Robin. "So, how are we going to get Marian back?"

Robin crouched in front of the fire as Allan stepped forward, fluttering his hands around Belle's face. "I'm fine, Allan," she said, grabbing his hands and squeezing them before releasing them. "Everyone can stop worrying about me and start trying to think of a plan."

"The sheriff will be expected us to go through the servant's entrance again," Robin said, stroking his beard. "We haven't used the sewers before." Little John pulled a face and Robin shot him a glare. "I think the sewers are our best chance of getting into the castle. She won't be in the dungeon—that would be too predictable of him. She'll be in either his or Guy's chambers."

Robin spent the rest of the night outlining a plan with his men occasionally speaking up with suggestions. By dawn, they all knew exactly what to do.

"Get some sleep," Robin groaned at last. "We leave at dusk."

Everyone scattered to their various tents and sleeping pallets. As Belle walked with Red to the small patch of ground they had been sleeping on, she glanced back over her shoulder and saw Robin still sitting where they had left him, staring into the embers of the long-dead fire.

"I'll be right back," Belle said to Red and turned to walk back to him. "Robin?"

He glanced up at her. "Go to sleep, Belle."

She sat next to him. "You should sleep as well."

"Not likely," he muttered, glaring at the embers.

Belle sighed. "I know that it's hard, but—"

"You have no idea what I'm feeling right now," Robin growled. "The only reason she is locked up right now is because she loved me and wanted to fight with me. Don't try to understand."

"You're right," she whispered. "I don't know how you feel, but I do know how Marian feels." Robin looked at her sharply. "Queen Regina imprisoned me purely so she could have an advantage over my true love. I never did anything to her besides fall in love with her enemy. I was there for months because he thought I was dead. So yes, I know it's hard, but you'll be useless to help her unless you rest."

He just kept staring at her as she stood to walk away, but once her back was turned, he whispered, "You're in love with Rumplestiltskin, aren't you?"

Belle blanched and whipped her head around to look at Robin, who was watching her carefully. "That's why he let you out of your deal." When Belle didn't say anything, he laughed. "Your friends don't know, do they? Red and the royalty you're working with."

"Please don't tell them," Belle whispered.

"I won't, Princess," Robin said, looking back at the embers. "That should come from you. I do want to hear your story at some point though."

"That I can do," she said.

"Someone should tell Allan he has a crush on the Dark One's true love," he muttered.

Belle smiled tiredly. "Get some sleep, Robin."

He nodded and glanced up at her again. "Belle, if this works, I'll help you overthrow the queen."

"Thank you," she whispered before turning to walk to Red, feeling Robin's eyes on her the whole way back.

Mr. Gold looked up from the clock he was tinkering with at the sound of the bell and saw the sheriff walking through the shop towards him.

"I'm afraid I'm closed, Sheriff."

"I remember," Graham said, ignoring Mr. Gold's comment as he shifted his weight in front of the counter.

"You remember what, exactly?" Mr. Gold said, cocking an eyebrow.

"Who I am," Graham hissed, leaning across the counter.

"Sheri—"

"The Huntsman," Graham said, eyes intense as he kept them fixed on Mr. Gold. "And you're Rumplestiltskin."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Mr. Gold said. "Is this about that wolf you were looking for this morning?"

"I think you know exactly what I'm talking about," Graham growled.

"And why is that?" Mr. Gold said, sneering. "Do I seem like a fairytale creature?"

"Mr. Gold was never once kind to Christy," Graham said, watching him carefully. "You're kind to her on a daily basis now. That means you're Rumplestiltskin again and you know exactly who she is to you."

Mr. Gold surveyed him for a moment before narrowing his eyes and resting his palms on the counter, leaning against it. "What made you remember?"

"Emma."

"Ah, the young Savior," Mr. Gold said, smirking.

Graham's eyes widened. "So Henry is right?"

"Indeed, Huntsman," Mr. Gold said, walking around the counter to stand in front of Graham, eyeing him carefully. "I'm assuming you didn't come here just to confirm your suspicions. What can I do for you?"

"I want my heart back," Graham said, shifting under Mr. Gold's gaze.

"I thought that might be it," Mr. Gold murmured. "If I get it away from Regina, I won't be able to put it back in your chest until I have magic."

"I just want it away from the queen," Graham said, eyes glistening. "Can you do it?"

"Aye," Mr. Gold said, staring at him with an unreadable expression. "I'll get your heart for you."

"And the price?" Graham said, narrowing his eyes.

"It's on the house, Huntsman," Mr. Gold said with a small frown. "Let's just say it's about time I fulfilled an old promise."

Graham frowned as well. "Belle?"

"Belle," Mr. Gold said, agreeing. "I'll contact you when our deal is complete," he added dismissively.

"How long will it take?"

"Let's give it a week."

Graham nodded, satisfied, and turned to leave the shop. Mr. Gold began to return to the backroom when he heard the bell ring from Graham opening the door then a grunt and a loud thud. Looking back, he saw the sheriff lying on his stomach in the open doorway.

"Sheriff?" he called, limping forward as quickly as possible. "Sheriff Graham?"

Graham's mouth was wide open and his eyes were staring at something without seeing. Mr. Gold knelt beside him, checked his pulse, and cursed. He closed Graham's eyes gently before standing and pulling out his cell phone.

"9-1-1. What's your emergency?" a disturbingly cheerful voice said on the other line.

"This is Mr. Gold. Send Deputy Swan and an ambulance to my shop immediately."

"What's the problem, Mr. Gold?" the voice said, still far too happy.

"The sheriff is dead." He snapped his phone shut and stared down at the Huntsman's lifeless body.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my formal apology to everyone who said that they hoped I wouldn't kill Graham.
> 
> Also, I would like to thank all the guests who have reviewed! Thank you so much for reading and leaving such lovely comments.


	7. Chapter 7

Christy sank down to sit on the carpet, looking around Graham's apartment helplessly. He didn't have much, and though she was supposed to be cleaning it out, she couldn't bring herself to do it. Ruby refused to even go near his home, leaving the task to Christy, so she sat on the ground and tried not to cry for the hundredth time since his death.

Someone cleared his throat from the hallway outside Graham's front door and Christy twisted to see who it was, standing when she saw Mr. Gold peering in at her.

"Do you need something?" she said, rubbing her eye with the heel of her hand.

He walked into the apartment hesitantly, glancing around before settling his eyes on her. "I came to let you know that you can leave the furniture and appliances. I'll talk care of that, so all you need to worry about are the sheriff's personal affects." Christy nodded and he sighed, examining her. She avoided his gaze, not wanted him to see her red eyes and puffy face. "You can take as much time as you need," he said gently. "You also don't need to return to work right away."

"I'll be at your house as usual on Sunday," she said, looking up at him.

Mr. Gold nodded. "Very well." Stepping forward, he reached out to grasp her shoulder and squeezed it. "I am sorry, Christy."

"It's not your fault," she whispered, closing her eyes to keep the tears from spilling over and clenching her fists. He squeezed her shoulder again and let out a shaky breath before she heard him walking away, cane tapping against the hard wood in the hallway. She opened her eyes again once she couldn't hear him anymore and got to work.

A few days later, Christy pulled open the door to the pawnshop as well as she could with a large plastic bag hanging off of her arm and carrying a large box. When the bell rang as she stepped inside, Mr. Gold came out of the backroom.

"Christy," he greeted her, surprised as she made her way through the shop towards him and placed the box on the counter. "I don't typically see you on Fridays."

She wrapped her arms around her middle and nodded towards the box. "These are Graham's things that I thought might be good for the shop."

"Oh. Thank you," he said, glancing at it before returning his attention to her. "I'll go through it later and see what could be useful. Do you want me to reimburse you for them on your paycheck?"

"I don't want any money from his stuff," Christy said, looking at her feet as she turned away, clutching her bag.

"Christy," Mr. Gold said, but stopped when she paused back at him. He looked down at the glass counter. "He was a good man."

She nodded. "He was the best." She walked away again, but paused at the door and glanced over her shoulder. "Are you coming to the funeral tomorrow?"

"I don't think so," he said, the corners of his mouth twitching. "I doubt anyone would want me there."

"You should," she said quietly before slipping out the door.

Christy avoided people's eyes as she walked back to the inn, not wanting to see any of their pitying expressions. Once in the basement, she knocked lightly on Ruby's bedroom door. "Rubes, can I come in?" When she got no reply, she opened it and sighed when she found it empty. Taking out a stack of CD's from her bag, she put them on Ruby's nightstand before placing the wolf doll Ruby had given Graham for his birthday on her bed. Going to her own room, she took out a small pile of books and movies from the bag and put them on her shelf before collapsing on her bed, staring at the only items she had saved of Graham.

* * *

"You're very brave." Belle looked up from where she was sitting on the ground sharpening her sword to see Allan standing over her. She smiled up at him.

"I just act brave." She accepted his hand to pull herself up and sheathed her sword, squinting around at the half-lit camp. "Are you joining us on the raid?"

"Me? No," Allan laughed, shaking his head. "Robin doesn't want me on any raids."

Belle looked over Allan's shoulder to where Robin was pacing in front of the horses, casting glares around at anyone who seemed to moving too slowly for him. A small group of men were gathered near him, including Red and Will. "I'm sure he has his reasons," she said, patting Allan's shoulder. "I should go."

"Belle, wait," Allan said, putting a hand on her waist to hold her back. When she cast a look at his hand and then back up at him, he released her, but he still hovered in front of her.

"We're leaving!" Robin yelled and Belle began to walk to untie Philippe.

"Allan, I really need to go."

"When you return, I would like to have permission to—to," Allan stammered as he blushed, making Belle freeze as she realized what he was getting at.

"Allan," she whispered, shaking her head. "I—"

"She's already in love with someone, Allan, now let her go," Robin roared from his own horse, glaring at them. "We need to get Marian."

Allan's mouth made a perfect "o" when Belle didn't deny it.

She swung up onto Philippe and prodded him after Robin, casting Allan an apologetic glance over her shoulder.

She put out a hand and helped Red pull herself up behind her on the horse.

"Robin let him down easy," Red muttered in her ear, making Belle groan.

" _Rumple, what goes here?" Belle asked, peering at an empty place on his shelf of potions._

" _Must you investigate everything in the tower?" he grumbled, abandoning his potion to come stand behind her, his hands on her shoulders as he leaned in to see what she was looking at. "Ah. That, m'dear, is where bottled true love goes."_

_Belle smiled at the pride in his voice. "How do you bottle true love?"_

" _I used a hair from Snow White and her Prince Charming each," he said, running a hand through her curls before returning to his work._

" _Why?"_

" _True love is the most powerful magic in the world." Rumplestiltskin smirked as if it should have been obvious to her._

" _Yes, but you have it, so why bottle it?" she said, tilting her head._

" _I might need it in the world without magic," he murmured, avoiding her eyes._

" _Then where is it?"_

" _In a safe place," he said with a giggle._

* * *

The bell in the pawnshop rang out and Christy looked down from the glass mobile she was dusting to see Emma walking into the shop.

"Hi, Emma," she said, stepping off the ladder she used to get to the mobile. "Can I help you?"

"Hey," Emma said, smiling briefly. "Gold called me. Is he here?"

"He's in the back," Christy said, jerking her head towards the entrance to the backroom. "I wouldn't go in there though!" she called as Emma strode over and threw aside the curtain. "It stinks," she finished lamely as she heard Emma voice her disgust at the stench.

She returned to dusting the various goods hanging off the ceiling, glancing down when Emma and Mr. Gold walked into the front, Emma heading for the door.

"I have his things," Mr. Gold called after her.

"What?" Emma said, glancing at Christy in confusion, who leaned against the ladder to watch.

"The sheriff," he said, pursing his lips when Christy flinched. "Christy left me with a box of his belongings for the shop, and if she has no objections, I'd like to offer you a keepsake." He looked at her and she nodded, waving Emma forward to where he stood next to the box on the counter.

"I don't need anything," she said even as she walked slowly towards the box.

"Well, I could offer it to Mayor Mills instead. They had something of a romance, didn't they?"

Christy made a hissing sound as Emma growled, "I'm not sure about that."

"No love lost there, I see," Mr. Gold said, staring at Emma.

"He would have wanted you to have something," Christy murmured from her perch. Emma shifted uncomfortably under both of their gazes.

"You really should take something," he said, opening the box and peering inside. "Look, his jacket?"

"No," Emma said.

"Your boy might like these, don't you think?" he said, holding up a pair of walkie-talkies. Christy suppressed a laugh as she remembered the time she and Graham had used them to follow Ruby on a date. "You could play together."

"I don't—" Emma began to say, but Mr. Gold cut her off.

"Miss Swan, I know what it's like to lose someone you care about," he said, keeping his eyes fixed on her. "It can help to have something of theirs to keep the memory alive. Besides, children do grow up so fast."

Emma frowned at the walkie-talkies before reaching a shaking hand out for them. "Thanks."

"You enjoy these with your boy," Mr. Gold murmured, surprising Christy with how genuine he sounded. "Your time together is precious. That's the thing about children—before you know it, you lose them."

Emma stumbled out of the shop, clutching the walkie-talkies, but Mr. Gold and Christy stayed where they were, him staring down into the box and her watching him from the ladder.

"Are you a father?" she said finally, causing him to look up and raise his eyebrows at her.

"What?"

"You just sounded like you were talking from experience," she said, shrugging self-consciously.

He smiled briefly before his expression turned sad. "There was a son. I lost him."

"I'm sorry," she said, stepping off the ladder and walking towards him. "So you have keepsake of his?"

"Indeed, though he wasn't who I told Miss Swan about."

"His mother?" Christy guessed, glancing at his hand to find no wedding ring.

"No," he said with a small laugh. "No, she and I did not part on the friendliest of terms. No, I told Miss Swan about the woman I loved long after my wife."

"What happened?"

Mr. Gold gave her an odd look that was almost hopeful. "I lost her, then got her back, then lost her again." When she opened her mouth, trying to think of what to say, he shook his head. "Don't pity me, Christy. I'll get her back again." He gave her that odd look again and she smiled at him. This wasn't the lonely and cruel Mr. Gold she was used to, but she found that she rather liked the kindness and sincerity in his eyes as he gazed at her.

"I hope you do, Mr. Gold."

* * *

The group rode until they were in a clearing outside the sheriff's castle. There were six of them spread over four horses, which they tied up in the clearing: Robin, Little John, Red, Belle, Will, and a slight man named Much.

"You all remember the plan?" Robin hissed as they crept along the castle wall, glancing back to see the rest of the group nodding. When they arrived at a hole in the wall covered with a grate, Little John broke the hinges of the grate and swung it open, allowing the others to pass through as he lit torches and handed them out.

Leading them down a small staircase, Robin ignored their groans at the stench that only grew as they entered a passageway at the bottom of the staircase. Belle avoided looking down after checking her footing and seeing the channel of waste next to the small stone ledge they were walking on single file.

"How does Robin know the layout of the sewers?" she hissed at Will as she wrapped her neckerchief around her mouth and nose to try to ward off the smell.

"He grew up here," Will said, grabbing Belle's waist when she stumbled. She cast him a grateful look. "He knows everything about the castle."

"Hush now," Robin whispered from the front of the line.

"Sorry Robin," Belle whispered back, smirking at Will over her shoulder.

Robin's head leaned out of line to peer back at her. "I didn't say anything."

Will cursed and Belle froze, causing Will to run into her. "Please tell me you're joking."

"I thought you might get creative this time, my dear Robin Hood," a greasy voice said out of the shadows in front of their line, a man dressed in enough leathers to rival Rumplestiltskin stepping out into the torchlight.

"Sheriff," Robin growled.

* * *

Christy threw open the pawnshop door later that day, running inside.

"Mr. Gold!" she yelled, clutching a thick binder to her chest. "Mr. Gold!"

"No need to shout, dearie," he said, coming out from the backroom. "What is it?"

"Regina appointed Sidney Glass as sheriff," she snarled, stepping forward.

"That is unfortunate," he said, frowning. "Though I do wonder why you came to me?" Christy slammed the binder on the counter, startling him. "The town charter?" he asked, raising his eyebrows at her as she began ruffling through to find a dog-eared page.

"I came to you because I thought you would be Emma's best chance," she said, spinning the charter around so he could read it and pointing to a passage. "There has to be an election."

He leaned over the binder, reading carefully before looking up at Christy, impressed. "How did you find this?"

"There's no way in hell I'm letting Regina use Graham's death to control the sheriff station again," she growled. "I don't care what you do, but you can't let Regina win."

He laughed and grinned at her. "Trust me, Christy, I have no intentions of doing that. Can I keep this?" He gestured to the charter and when she nodded, his smile widened like a shark's. "I'll go speak to Miss Swan now."

"Thank you," Christy said, smiling. She began to leave before pausing and looking back to him. "Graham called me before—before, and he said that you told him that dreams are memories of another life. What does that mean?"

"It means what it sounds like," Mr. Gold said, narrowing his eyes. "Why? Are you having strange dreams?"

"I keep dreaming about a spinning wheel," she said, leaning against the counter. "Henry says it's because I'm Rumplestiltskin's true love in his silly fairytale book." She sighed, not noticing the shock that crossed his face. "It's strange, really. This is the most  _alive_  I've felt in as long as I can remember."

"Things are changing in Storybrooke, Miss French," he murmured, avoiding her gaze. Before she could ask him what he meant, he was ushering her out of the shop, using talking to Emma as an excuse. "Thank you for coming by, Christy."

She frowned as she stepped out of the shop, watching Mr. Gold head into the back and thinking about the gold-spinning imp she was supposedly in love with.

* * *

Robin pointed behind his back at a doorway on the other side of the channel from them. Will was the first to catch on, leaping across and onto the ledge there before darting into the staircase that led to the door and gesturing for the rest to follow.

The sheriff snorted as Belle followed Will across. "You're using women to do your fighting now?" His eyes followed Red as she jumped after Much. "Tsk tsk."

Little John crossed as well and all five of them huddled next to the doorway, waiting for a signal from Robin, but he ignored them and stepped closer to the sheriff. "I think you'll find that you vastly underestimate women, Sheriff." As the sheriff rolled his eyes and looked at the group, Robin darted forward and slammed the sheriff's head against the wall, stepping back to watch him slide down to sit on the floor.

"Move," he snarled at the group as he leapt across, urging them through the door and then leading them through the castle. If Belle hadn't grown up in a palace and then spent months learning her way around the Dark Castle, she would have lost her way from the amount of turns they did as they followed Robin.

"Where are all the servants?" she murmured.

"He was expecting us," Robin said gravely. "We stick to the plan, but don't be afraid to improvise." He stopped when their corridor split into three. "Good luck," he said before sprinting down the middle passage.

Red squeezed Belle's arm before following Little John and Much down the right passage to try to find the sheriff's plans while Belle and Will walked along the left corridor.

"Sentry duty," Will muttered darkly, making Belle suppress a laugh. He hadn't been happy with their part of the raid at any part of the planning process.

They made their way through the halls to get to the spot above the courtyard that they would be able to see all the comings and goings of the castle from, but as they passed through an empty hallway, they heard the sound of soldiers coming towards them from both sides. Exchanging horrified glances, Will shoved Belle back towards a small wooden door. "Hide," he hissed as he dove behind a tapestry on the other side of the hall.

Crouching to get through the door and shutting it just before the soldiers entered the hall, Belle was surprised to find a large and spacious room behind it that had trunks that were covered with dust and cobwebs in it. A muffled grunting sound got her attention and she looked at the back of the room to find, gagged and tied to a bar that was embedded in the stone wall, Marian staring at Belle.

"Marian," Belle said, running to her and pulling out her sword to cut the bonds holding her. As Belle took out her gag, she rubbed her wrists where the rope had rubbed them raw.

"Thanks," she said, accepting Belle's hand to stand.

Belle spun around when the door creaked open to see the sheriff crouching as he made his way into the room, jumping in surprise when he saw her standing in front of Marian.

"It looks like Robin's new birdie is good at what she does," he said in a sing-song voice that made Belle shiver and hold up her sword. "Oh, darling, don't pretend you know what to do with that." He smirked as he stepped towards them and Marian put her hands on Belle's waist drawing her backwards as she wrapped her fingers around the long dagger strapped at Belle's right hip.

* * *

Ruby nudged Christy out of her way behind the diner counter as she brought a cup of coffee to Dr. Whale. Christy looked up at the door opening, reaching for a menu.

"Hey, Christy," Emma said, leaning against the counter. "Gold told me you're the one who found the loophole about the election. Thanks for that."

"No problem," Christy said, grinning. "If you need any help with the campaign, let me know."

Emma smiled. "Could I get two hot chocolates?" She pointed behind her to where Henry was sitting in a booth, reading a newspaper dejectedly.

"With cinnamon?" Emma nodded and as she went to pay, Christy slid a newspaper towards her. "You may want to look at the front page." Emma glanced at it as she handed Christy some cash and swore. "Sidney wrote it," Christy murmured.

"Of course," Emma spat, a scowl on her face. Christy watched as she walked to comfort her son, glaring daggers at the paper he was reading.

Christy threw herself into the election over the next few days, spending hours handing out flyers and knocking on doors to tell anyone who would listen that Graham told her personally how great Emma was as deputy. After Emma saved Regina from the fire, people were even more willing to listen and by the time Election Day rolled around, she felt confident that Emma at least gave Sidney some competition. She smiled at Mr. Gold as she followed Ruby and Granny to some seats near the front and was surprised when he smiled back.

When Emma revealed Mr. Gold's part in the fire, Christy twisted in her seat like everyone else to catch a glimpse of him as he left Town Hall. Unlike the rest of the crowd, she caught his eye when he glanced back before he left. His expression was unreadable, but later, when she was in the diner as Regina handed Emma the sheriff's badge, she decided that she didn't care how legal his actions were.

Graham didn't die for nothing.

* * *

The door flew open again and Will came through, almost bent double. "Belle, the soldiers are gone…" He trailed off, jaw dropping at the sight of Marian and the sheriff. The sheriff hissed and took a step towards Will, which Marian took advantage of to pull the dagger from Belle's belt and throw it at the sheriff. He dodged it just in time, whirling to snarl at Marian like a beast, but Belle leaned over and pulled the daggers out of her boots, tossing them to Marian before they both charged the sheriff, Will doing the same from behind.

The three of them managed to overpower him and tie him up with the rope used to restrain Marian. Crouching in front of the sheriff, Marian smiled gently as she gagged him before leaning to kiss his forehead.

"Always a pleasure, Uncle," she said as pleasantly as if they had just had tea together. Belle stared at her as she stood and tried to hand the daggers back.

"You might need those on our way out," Belle said, frowning over her shoulder as Will led them out into the hallway. "He's your uncle?"

Marian shrugged. "He didn't approve of who I associated with."

"You too?" Belle said with a laugh, raising her eyebrows. Marian flashed her a grin.

"We need to get out and hope that Robin will adapt the plan when he realizes Marian's not in the sheriff's quarters," Will whispered as they stole down the corridor.

"Follow me," Marian said, slipping through a doorway Belle hadn't noticed before. It led up a spiral staircase that seemed to lead to nowhere, stopping when it hit the ceiling. There was a small metal plate in the rock that Marian approached. "I'll signal Robin and then we get the hell out."

"How?" Belle said and Marian just smiled, turning a knob that opened the plate. Leaning forward, she whistled three sharp notes that echoed around them, seeming to travel through the brick walls.

"Let's go," Marian said, leading them back down the stairs, the sound of her whistle moving farther and farther away. Belle followed her and Will down to the kitchen, where a maid helped them slip out of the servant's entrance and then they sprinted to where the horses were hidden, taking a long, meandering path to get there to hinder anyone following them.

"What was that grate?" Belle panted as Will collapsed on the ground and Marian leaned over, putting her hands on her knees and wiping her sweat on her sleeve.

"It was put in when the castle was built as a way to warn the inhabitants of danger," Marian said as she walked to one of the horses to retrieve a waterskin from the saddlebags.

"Handy," Belle muttered, sitting next to Will on the ground.

"Indeed," she said, dropping the waterskin as a crashing sound came through the woods. Belle and Will both vaulted up, grasping for their weapons.

They relaxed when Robin ran into the clearing, looking around blindly until his eyes settled on Marian and he let out a strangled cry, running forward and hugging her so tightly that Belle was surprised Marian didn't cry out in pain. Red, Much, and Little John trailed after Robin, letting out whoops when they saw Marian.

"I think we should get out of here," Will said after clasping his friends' hands, glancing through the trees.

"Agreed," Marian said, disentangling herself from Robin with a smile and pulling herself up on his horse. Robin mounted behind her and the rest followed suit.

Spurring the horses on, they rode as fast as they could in the darkness until they returned to their camp, Red's arm clasped tightly around Belle's waist as they hurtled along on Philippe.

* * *

Holding a small pile of books, Christy knocked on Mr. Gold's door that Sunday.

"It's unlocked," he called from inside the house. She stepped inside, hung up her coat, and walked into the front room where he was sitting in a large armchair, his hands steepled in front of his face.

"Good afternoon," she said, putting the books back on the shelf where she had got them last week.

"You're done with those already?" he said, watching her.

"They were a good distraction," she murmured, clasping her hands in front of her before smiling again and looking up at him. "Any special instructions today?"

"No, m'dear," he said, waving his hand. "Just a pot of tea before you go."

"Of course," she said, smirking before getting to work.

As she cleaned his house around him, he stayed in that chair, occasionally flicking through the book he had next to him but staring at the wall deep in thought for most of her shift. It was only after she put the tea tray on the table next to his chair and went to his bookshelf to pick out another stack to bring home that he spoke again.

"Tell me, Christy," he said, still staring at the spot on his wall that seemed to have fascinated him all afternoon. "What do you think about the fire I supposedly started?"

She laughed. "I'm glad you did it."

"What?" Mr. Gold said, looking at her sharply. "You are?"

"Someone needs to bring that bitch down," she said, turning back to the bookshelf. "I told you I didn't care what you did to get Emma in that office. I meant it."

She could feel him watching her as she pulled three books out and brought them over for him to see. He nodded at the titles even though he barely glanced at them.

"Thanks for helping Emma," she said, smiling at him.

He waved it off like he had all of her thanks lately. "I agree that Regina's power need no longer be absolute." He pulled an envelope out of his jacket pocket and handed it to her. "Your paycheck. Enjoy the books."

"Good night, Mr. Gold," Christy said, feeling a sudden rush of fondness towards him.

He smiled at her again before pouring a pot of tea and ignoring her as she left his house.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part of why I started writing this fic was to practice fight scenes and battles that are essential for fantasy writing, so I would really appreciate feedback on the FTL parts in this chapter if possible :) Thanks for reading!


	8. Fic Abandoned

I am abandoning my fanfic in order to focus on my original writing.

I have come to the realization that fic writing, especially when it comes to Hidden Under Darkness, has become a chore for me because I want to be working on my original stuff but feel like I can’t because I have readers waiting for an update. My priority is original writing and I would rather be working on that than fic that, although I love, I would never be able to publish. I want to get started on my screenplay, so my fan fiction is what will have to suffer in order for me to do that. I am so sorry to all you lovely HUD readers, but I need to do what is right for me.

I am by no means leaving the Rumbelle fandom. I will still participate in conversations and meta and read fic like it’s nobody’s business, and I will still answer prompts for a few reasons: I’m leaving Hidden Under Darkness halfway through, I promised more in the Searching series, and I love these damn characters. Because of this, I will still accept and respond to prompts. I don’t care if they’re from my already existing verses or new ideas because I still want to be able to contribute to the fandom and prompts don’t take much time. You can prompt me on my Tumblr: alyreandalute.tumblr.com. Relevant tags that I use are lute prompts, my fanfiction, and fic: hidden under darkness. 

Also, I don’t know if any of you are interested in reading my original writing, but I do have a Tumblr for it. writingismyreligion.tumblr.com

Finally, thank you so much to everybody for the amazing response to the fic I have written. The success of this fic still blows me away. I truly appreciate every reader, favorite, follow, and review on this, and I’m so sorry I have to leave you this way.

-Maddy


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